Amaravati Resolution Likely in AP Special Assembly Session

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government would take a decisive step towards granting legal status and protection to Amaravati as the state capital.

A special assembly session would be held on March 28. It aims to pass a resolution declaring Amaravati as the official capital and forward this to the Centre for further action.

According to government sources, the one-day session on Saturday would deliberate on the issue before adopting the resolution. It will then be sent to Delhi. The central government is expected to place it before the Union Cabinet.

Following cabinet approval, a bill may be introduced and passed during the ongoing parliament session, paving the way for a formal gazette notification.Official sources said the decision to convene the special session follows urgent directions from the PMO. The plan is to provide Amaravati a firmer legal footing and prevent future disputes over the capital issue.The Centre has already initiated steps to amend Section 5(2) of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, with the law ministry reportedly giving its approval. Once the state assembly passes the resolution, the amendment process is likely to gather pace at the national level.

As per Section 5(1) of the reorganisation act, Hyderabad was to remain the joint capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for up to ten years. Section 5(2) provided for a separate capital for Andhra Pradesh thereafter.

The proposed amendment seeks to explicitly name Amaravati as the state capital, in the act, replacing the generic reference to a “new capital.” This move would ensure long-term clarity and stability. With coordinated steps at both state and central levels, Amaravati appears closer to formal recognition as Andhra Pradesh’s capital.

Amaravati was chosen as the capital after bifurcation, by the residuary state’s first Telugu Desam government. In a landmark initiative, farmers from 29 villages pooled nearly 34,000 acres of land for the capital city formation. A master plan was prepared with Singapore’s support, and infrastructure such as the assembly and secretariat was developed. The governance was conducted from there for a short while.

However, the project stalled after the YSRC came to power in 2019 and proposed a three-capital model. This triggered protests from Amaravati farmers, who alleged neglect and uncertainty. Their prolonged agitation kept the issue alive in public discourse.

With the three-party alliance government assuming office in 2024, Amaravati has regained its momentum. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has stressed that the capital’s status will be safeguarded through legal amendments.The state subsequently urged the Centre to formally notify Amaravati as the capital through parliamentary nod.

Development works worth thousands of crores have resumed in Amaravati in the recent months. There’s increasing investor interest, including for the data centre project etc.The government is also preparing for a second phase of land pooling across seven villages in Thullur and Amaravati mandals. Initial consultations indicate a positive response from a majority of the farmers.