AP to pass Amaravati capital resolution today

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government will convene a special session of the Assembly on Saturday to pass a resolution declaring Amaravati as the sole and permanent capital of the State, while also initiating the process for statutory backing through Parliament.

The resolution will propose amendments to Section 5(2) of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, seeking to replace the term “new capital” with the explicit designation of Amaravati. It will also define the capital’s jurisdiction in line with the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) limits, providing long-felt legal clarity.

Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu is expected to move the resolution as Leader of the House. Otherwise, Minister P Narayana may introduce it. Leaders from the ruling alliance, including Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan, Minister Nara Lokesh and one MLA from BJP, are scheduled to participate in the debate.

The opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) is unlikely to attend the session, according to indications from the party, though no formal announcement to this effect has been made yet. The party has questioned why the resolution is being taken up only in the Assembly and not in the Legislative Council.

YSRCP state co-ordinatior Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said the government should subject the proposal to wider legislative scrutiny if it is serious about granting legal sanctity to the capital. Party MLC Kalpalata Reddy termed the move a “procedural exercise”, alleging that the government was avoiding the Legislative Council to limit opposition questioning. She also raised concerns over land-related issues and questioned the need for a fresh resolution when one had already been passed earlier.

Once adopted, the resolution will be forwarded to the Centre. The Union government is considering an amendment to the Reorganisation Act to formally name Amaravati as the capital. The move is aimed at providing parliamentary protection, ensuring that any future change would require approval at the Union level.

The proposal is understood to have been shaped in consultation with the Prime Minister’s Office, with a focus on removing legal ambiguity surrounding the term “new capital”.

After receiving the resolution, the Union Home Ministry will examine it in consultation with the Law Ministry before drafting an amendment bill. The proposal will then be placed before the Union Cabinet, followed by Presidential approval for introduction in Parliament.

With the current Parliament session scheduled until April 2, multiple timelines are under consideration. The related bill could be introduced immediately following the Cabinet approval or deferred to a later session for passage alongside other key pieces of legislation.

Since the amendment pertains primarily to naming and legal clarity, it requires only a simple majority in both Houses.

The move is being positioned by the State government as a step to secure Amaravati’s status against policy reversals, following earlier uncertainty over the capital framework.

The YSRCP, while maintaining that it is not opposed to Amaravati as a capital, has reiterated concerns over the implementation model and alleged lack of transparency in land and development issues.