No role in deciding state capital: Centre tells Andhra HC

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The counsel for the petitioners had argued that the three-capital move was "violation" of the Reorganisation Act as it "talks of only one state capital".

Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan on July 31 had approved the two Bills and the same day the government issued the gazette notification.

Under the Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill of 2020, the government has sought to shift the key capital functions out of Amaravati.

It proposes to develop Visakhapatnam as the executive capital. With the shifting of the offices of the Chief Minister, Governor, Ministers and Secretaries, the coastal city for all practical purposes will become the seat of power.

Kurnool will be developed as the judicial capital by shifting the High Court there.

Amaravati, which was originally planned as the only state capital and a world-class city, will only be a legislative capital.

The move by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government has led to fresh protests by farmers in 29 villages in Amaravati.

About 24,000 farmer families had given 33,000 acres of land for development of Amaravati under the land pooling scheme five years ago.

Then Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government headed by Chandrababu Naidu had embarked on the mega plans to build Amaravati on the banks of Krishna river as the dream capital and a world-class city. Naidu had got its design prepared by the Singapore government.

( With inputs from IANS )