Published Apr 01, 2026 | 5:04 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 01, 2026 | 5:04 PM
Amaravati 3D sketch map.
Synopsis: The Lok Sabha has passed a Bill to recognise Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh, amending the 2014 Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act more than a decade after the State’s bifurcation. The amendment gives legal backing to Amaravati as the only capital and follows a resolution passed by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday, 1 April, passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, formally recognising Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh more than a decade after the erstwhile united State was bifurcated to create Telangana.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityananda Rai introduced the Bill in the Lower House, after which Speaker Om Birla permitted a two-hour discussion.
Members from across the political spectrum, including the TDP, BJP, Jana Sena, Congress and YSRCP, participated in the debate before the House passed the legislation by voice vote. Presiding Officer Tenneti Krishna Prasad announced the passage.
The amendment modifies Section 5(2) of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, replacing the phrase “there shall be a new capital” with “and Amaravati shall be the new capital”.
It also clarifies that “Amaravati” includes the capital city area notified under the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Act, 2014. This gives legal sanctity to Amaravati as the State’s only capital, following a resolution the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed on 28 March, urging the Centre to formalise the status.
The change will have retrospective effect from 2 June 2024, the end of the 10-year period during which Hyderabad functioned as the joint capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The Bill is set to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, 2 April.
Under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, the state is required the state to establish its own capital after Hyderabad became the exclusive capital of Telangana at the end of the transition period.
The Bill received support from multiple parties during the debate, but several members raised broader concerns about implementing assurances made under the 2014 Act.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore backed the legislation, stating that Amaravati was “not just a capital, but the aspiration of crores of people”.
At the same time, he reminded the Centre of pending commitments, including the long-standing demand for special category status for Andhra Pradesh. He said such assurances were made on the floor of Parliament by the then prime minister and urged the Union government to extend full support for building the capital.
“Amaravati is not merely an administrative decision; it reflects the hopes of the people. The Centre must ensure all promised support is delivered,” he added.
Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar said the amendment is rooted in the “tears and sacrifices” of farmers who gave up their land for the capital project.
Describing himself as a “son of the soil of Amaravati”, he said it was a matter of pride to speak in Parliament on the issue.
He praised the determination of women farmers, recalling their protest march under the banner “Nyayasthanam nunchi Devasthanam varaku” (from court to temple), which became a symbol of resistance when attempts were made to shift the capital.
“Nearly 29,000 farmers voluntarily gave their lands. Amaravati is a reflection of their trust,” he said, adding that the movement gained momentum when the previous government proposed alternative capital arrangements.
BJP MP Daggubati Purandeswari criticised the manner in which the State was divided in 2014, saying the process was carried out “in a chaotic manner”, but added that people accepted it with faith in the Constitution.
She also pointed to the uncertainty around Amaravati during the previous regime and described the treatment of farmers as “inhuman”.
Anakapalli MP CM Ramesh called Amaravati the “heartbeat of Telugu people” and said the Bill would restore clarity and stability. He criticised the earlier three-capital proposal, saying it disrupted the development of Amaravati.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the introduction and passage of the Bill in the Lok Sabha.
Speaking at a public meeting in Vinjamur in Nellore district, he accused the previous YSRCP government of trying to “destroy the State through a three-capital formula”.
“Amaravati cannot be moved even an inch now. It is the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh,” he added.
Minister Nara Lokesh called the Bill’s passage a “victory of Amaravati” and said it marks the start of a new phase of development for the State.
“No force can now stop Andhra Pradesh’s progress. This is the blessing of God for the sacrifices made by farmers. It is time for all people of the State to proudly declare Amaravati as their capital,” he said.
Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, however, criticised the amendment.
Addressing the media, he called Amaravati a “capital of corruption” and questioned the project’s financial viability. He asked how the State would mobilise the estimated Rs 2 lakh crore required to build the capital and alleged irregularities in land acquisition, tendering and project execution.
The YSRCP chief defended his government’s earlier three-capital proposal, which envisaged Visakhapatnam as the executive capital, Amaravati as the legislative capital and Kurnool as the judicial capital, saying it aimed at balanced regional development and lower financial burden.
“We are not against Amaravati or any region. We are against corruption and the neglect of other regions. Concentrating all resources on Amaravati will hurt welfare and development,” he said.
Reddy also questioned the need for a parliamentary amendment, saying the Centre does not usually decide state capitals, and cited Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand.
