The Union home ministry on Wednesday declared once again that it has no role whatsoever to play in deciding the location of the capital of Andhra Pradesh and it is entirely decided by the state.
An affidavit to this effect was submitted by Lalitha T Hedaoo, under secretary in the Union ministry of home affairs in the Andhra Pradesh state high court.
While admitting that the previous Telugu Desam Party government in the state had notified Amaravati as the capital city, the Central government official also acknowledged that the present state government had issued gazette notifications on July 31 forming three capitals – executive capital at Viskahapatnam, legislative capital at Amaravati and judicial capital in Kurnool.
The Centre has also acknowledged that the State legislature had passed the three capitals bill as well as the APCRDA repeal bill which became Acts later. It said while framing the Act, the state government had not consulted the Central government at all.
“The subject matter purely concerns the state government and the Central government has no part therein,” Lalitha Hedaoo said in the affidavit submitted in the court.
“For the above mentioned facts and circumstances, the Hon’ble court may be pleased to pass such orders as deemed fit and proper in the interest of the justice,” the Central government official said in the affidavit.