AP govt moves SC challenging HC order on Amaravati capital issue

New Delhi, Sep 17 The Andhra Pradesh government has moved the Supreme Court against the high court verdict declaring Amaravati as the only capital, in a bid to revive its plan to have three capitals.

The Andhra Pradesh government has filed the appeal in the apex court through advocate Mahfooz Nazki. On March 3 this year, the high court had directed that the state government should construct and develop Amaravati capital city and region within six months.

The state government was also directed by the high court to develop the reconstituted plots, which belonged to the farmers who gave away their lands for the capital city. The high court said the state government should provide drinking water, approach roads, electricity, drainage etc. within three months. The high court is likely to take up the matter in October.

The AP government, in its appeal, in the apex court said the issue had become infructuous since the impugned legislations had been repealed. It contended that under the federal structure of the Constitution, every state has an inherent right to determine where it should carry out its capital functions from. The state government further added that to hold that the state does not have the power to decide on its capital is violative of basic structure of the Constitution. And, the judgment is violative of doctrine of separation of powers since it preempts the legislature from taking up the issue, argued the AP government.