Government offices not to be shifted before hearing, Andhra Pradesh HC on 3 capital issue

Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday heard a bunch of petitions against the state government's decision to set up three capitals and directed that the government offices should not be shifted before the completion of the hearing.

Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice JK Maheswari said that the government should take up responsibility if the offices are shifted and slated the matter for hearing on February 26.

Advocate General Sriram Subrahmanyam informed the court that the Decentralisation Bill and Capital Region Development Authority Repeal Bill has been passed in the assembly.

However, the state legislative council has sent the Decentralisation Bill to a select committee council, he informed the court after Justice Maheswari asked the status of the bill.

Andhra Pradesh legislative council had on Wednesday sent the Decentralisation Bill, which proposes to set up three capitals in the state, to a select committee.

The 'Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill 2020' was passed in the state legislative assembly on Monday.

The Bill proposes to have a legislative capital at Amaravati, executive capital and Raj Bhavan at Visakhapatnam and judicial capital at Kurnool.

The state government's move is facing opposition and protests by the opposition parties and locals of Amaravati, who are demanding to keep the city as the sole capital of the state.