Amaravati has now been established as Andhra Pradesh’s capital by law, prompting the High Court to observe that petitions challenging the previous three-capitals proposal have become infructuous. The petitions arose from the former government’s plan to designate Amaravati as the legislative capital, Visakhapatnam as the executive capital and Kurnool as the judicial capital.
During the latest hearing, Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas informed the High Court that the legal situation had changed following subsequent legislation concerning Amaravati.The court observed that because Amaravati is now the capital under the prevailing law, the issues raised in the earlier petitions may no longer survive for adjudication in their original form.
Amaravati Capital Law: What Did Andhra Pradesh High Court Say?
Amaravati is now recognised as Andhra Pradesh’s capital under the present legal framework, changing the circumstances surrounding the earlier three-capitals petitions. The High Court bench indicated that the petitions had effectively become infructuous as the legislation underlying the dispute no longer governed the State’s capital arrangement.The court asked the petitioners to consider the changed circumstances before deciding how to proceed with their cases. The earlier three-capitals proposal sought to decentralise administrative functions among Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Kurnool and had triggered extensive legal and political debate in Andhra Pradesh.
The High Court’s observation is therefore significant for the long-running litigation connected with the former three-capitals policy. It does not represent a fresh judicial determination on every substantive argument raised during the original dispute; instead, it reflects the court’s assessment of whether those petitions continue to require adjudication after the underlying legal circumstances changed.Further proceedings will depend on the petitioners’ response and any remaining legal questions they seek to pursue before the Andhra Pradesh High Court regarding Amaravati and the State’s capital framework.
