Andhra capital row: HC extends status quo till September 21

Andhra Pradesh High Court has heard the petitions on the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Acts, 2020 and the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Repeal Act, 2020.

The court on Thursday extended the status quo on these acts till September 21.

A three-member bench of judges has given the government opportunity to file a counter-petition till September 11 while the High Court has granted time to petitioners to raise their objections on the counter-petition of the government till September 17.

The hearing has been adjourned to September 21 and the status quo on the two acts will be in place till that day.

Meanwhile, petitioners' advocate, Nitish Gupta, Supreme Court senior lawyer has filed a contempt petition against the government. He brought to the notice of the court that the state government has planned to build a guest house at Kapuluppada near Visakhapatnam and getting ready to lay the foundation for the construction.

He argued that it is part of the plan to shift the executive capital while questioning the state government on their action since the status quo is in implementation. The High Court has ordered the state Chief Secretary to file counter on that by September 10.

As many as 70 petitions are filed by farmers, peoples' unions and public representatives against the implementation of AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act 2020 and AP CRDA Repeal Act 2020. A three-member bench of judges is hearing the petitions.

( With inputs from ANI )