VIJAYAWADA: The State government on Wednesday informed the High Court that it had withdrawn the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions (Three Capital) Bill, 2020 and CRDA Repeal Bill and there is no need for the court to hear the petitions challenging the Bills.
A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanth Kumar Mishra and Justices M Satyanarayana Murthy and DVSS Somayajulu on Wednesday heard the petitions challenging the two Bills through which the YSRC government had proposed setting up of three capitals for AP.
Advocate General S Sriram informed the bench that the petitioners sought the court to give directions to the State government not to change the location of capital from Amaravati. Sriram said if the courts look into the issue, they also have to look at whether Amaravati was chosen as the capital of the State following the AP Reorganisation Act or not. Sriram said the Sivaramakrishnan Committee constituted to suggest capital for the state had clearly said that setting up of capital between Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri would result in losing cultivable lands.
Sriram further said the government had appointed Boston Group and GN Rao committee to suggest means for decentralised development and there should not be any scope for judicial review on the report of the committee.
The advocate general further added that with the two Bills withdrawn, the petitioners cannot seek hearing the petitions challenging the Bills. Arguing on behalf of the CRDA, senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy said they are committed to the development of the capital region, but fund crunch has come as a hindrance. The amount needed for executing the master plan of the capital city comes to rupees two lakh crore and the Centre is also not giving adequate funds, he said and added that the basic infrastructure would be developed on a priority basis.
Assistant Solicitor General N Harinath said the Centre had made its stand clear on the capital city issue: It has no role to play. Harinath said the State did not consult the Centre when it brought the two Bills and when it withdrew them.The bench posted the matter for hearing to February 4.