Andhra HC to hear 3 capital issue, CRDA repeal bill on August 6

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday differed the hearing of petitions on three capitals bill, Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) repeal bill to August 6.

The bench headed by Justice Rakesh Kumar and Justice Satyanarana Murty heard the petitions and differed the hearing.

The pagination of the court bundle is not complete, hence court adjourned the matter by one week for the registry to paginate and the matters to be heard on August 6 for the completion.

One of the counsel argued that there is a writ petition filed for construction of permanent high court in Amaravati and that may be taken up. The full bench refused to observe that if the state succeeds in the litigation, then the high court location could be shifted and therefore there can't be any adjudication of the said writ petition at this juncture.

The court in the course of the brief hearing gave liberty to the petitioner counsel to implead the Accountant General so as to be made aware of the costs involved in the construction of the capital - how much has been spent and how much is due.

The Advocate General informed the court that the counter affidavit filed in the matter discloses that people holding positions of power to locate the capital at Amaravati, hinted at a minimal expenditure of Rs 1.5 lakh Crores.

The bench remarked that they are not adjudicating the matter and that there will be no apprehension regarding the same. The AG replied that the Govt is not apprehensive of the facts and the intervention was only to address the apprehensions of the court.

Another counsel insisted that the Court hears the writ petitions regarding the resolutions passed by the legislative council, select committee and re-introduction of bills by the Government.

The High Court observed that when a situation is developing, there can't be peace meal hearing and that all the matters have to be taken up together.

The lawyer further argued that in the meantime the Governor may grant assent to the bills which would become law, to which the court observed that those situations could also be taken care during the course of the writ petitions.

Andhra Pradesh Government had on July 18 sent the Decentralisation of Capital bill and the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) repeal bill for the assent of the governor.

( With inputs from ANI )