Will Modi Help Jagan In Three-Capitals Plan?

[Anta Assamey]

One of the major requests made by YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to Union home minister Amit Shah was to initiate the process of shifting of the state high court to Kurnool.

In his representation to Shah on Tuesday night, Jagan requested that the Centre issue a notification for relocation of the state high court from Amaravati to Kurnool, as part of the formation of three capital cities for Andhra Pradesh for decentralisation of administration.

In a way, the chief minister sought clearance from the centre for his three capital cities plan. He explained to Shah in detail how and why his government was going in for decentralisation of administration for inclusive development of all regions.

He also reminded that the state legislature had already passed the relevant legislations August seeking to form three capitals for Andhra Pradesh – executive capital at Visakhapatnam, legislative capital at Amaravati and judicial capital at Kurnool.

While shifting of executive capital to Viskahapatnam and continuing Amaravati as the legislative capital was in the hands of the state government, the shifting of the state high court to Kurnool could be done only through a Presidential order after approval from the Supreme Court.

So, the Centre has to begin the process for relocation of the state high court to Kurnool by issuing a notification, with the consent of the Supreme Court and then clearance by law ministry. Finally, it would be notified by the President of India.

Jagan reminded Shah that the Bharatiya Janata Party, in its election manifesto for 2019 Parliament elections, also mentioned about location of state high court in Kurnool.

If the Centre notifies the relocation of high court to Kurnool, it would automatically mean giving clearance to the three capitals plan of Jagan. It would also clear the legal hurdles of his government in the state high court. That would make things easy for Jagan!