It is for the Andhra Pradesh government to decide whether it should have the high court in the capital region or shift it to Rayalaseema as being demanded by lawyers of the region.
This was made clear by Union minister for law and justice Ravi Shankar Prasad.
He told the Lok Sabha in reply to a question from Nellore MP Adala Prabhakar Reddy that the lawyers of Kurnool Bar Association had been agitating for shifting of the high court from Amaravati to Kurnool.
He said that the matter of setting up and running of the High Court is under the domain of State government.
He said under Article 214 of the Constitution there shall be a High Court for each State. On January 1 this year, a separate high court for AP has been established at Amaravati in consultation with Andhra government and the then chief justice, he said.
According to sources, the state government is contemplating shifting the administrative capital from Velagapudi in Amaravati towards Mangalagiri region. Once the capital is relocated, the government will consider shifting of the high court.
“No decision has been taken yet on the shifting of the high court. But if at all there is a plan to shift the high court, it will be moved to Kurnool,” a source said.