Why in News

Parliament passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, formally establishing Amaravati as the sole statutory capital of Andhra Pradesh. The bill amends Section 5 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, replacing “a new capital for the successor State of Andhra Pradesh” with “Amaravati shall be the new capital”. The bill received broad cross-party support, with YSRCP opposing and staging a walkout.

Background: The Capital Saga

Year Event
2014 AP Reorganisation Act bifurcated AP; Hyderabad became joint capital for 10 years
2015 CM Chandrababu Naidu (TDP) selected Amaravati; foundation laid
2019 CM Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSRCP) proposed three capitals: Amaravati (legislative), Visakhapatnam (executive), Kurnool (judicial)
2020 AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act passed
2022 AP High Court struck down the three-capital proposal
2024 TDP returns to power under NDA; Chandrababu Naidu becomes CM again
2026 Parliament formally designates Amaravati as sole capital

Key Provisions of the Amendment

Aspect Before Amendment After Amendment
Section 5 of AP Reorganisation Act “A new capital” (unnamed) “Amaravati shall be the new capital”
Legal status No statutory capital designated Amaravati has statutory backing from Parliament
State’s discretion State could choose/change capital State cannot change capital without Parliament’s amendment

Amaravati: The City

Parameter Details
Location Krishna and Guntur districts, on the banks of Krishna River
Area ~217 sq. km (proposed master plan)
Current status Under construction; basic infrastructure in place
Master plan Designed by Foster + Partners (UK-based architects)
Investment so far ~Rs 15,000 crore (estimated)
Distance from Vijayawada ~30 km

Constitutional Position on State Capitals

The Indian Constitution does not explicitly define state capitals. Key points:

  • First Schedule lists states and their territories, not capitals
  • State capitals are traditionally determined by convention and state legislation
  • The AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 (a Central Act under Article 3) is what makes Amaravati’s designation a parliamentary matter
  • Article 3 gives Parliament the power to form, alter, and reorganise states, including their boundaries and names. Capital designation falls within this scope when done through a reorganisation act

Why the Three-Capital Idea Failed

CM Jagan’s 2019 proposal for three capitals faced legal and practical challenges:

  1. AP High Court held that decentralising the capital without Centre’s approval violated the Reorganisation Act
  2. Land acquisition issues: 33,000+ acres of agricultural land pooled by farmers under Naidu’s government would have been abandoned
  3. Investor confidence: shifting the executive capital to Visakhapatnam created uncertainty for businesses that invested in Amaravati
  4. Hyderabad’s joint capital status expired in June 2024, AP urgently needed a functioning capital

UPSC Relevance

GS Paper 2, Polity & Governance

  • Article 3, Parliament’s power to reorganise states
  • State Reorganisation: history, principles, SRC recommendations
  • Centre-State relations in capital designation
  • AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, provisions and amendments

Prelims Fast Facts:

  • AP Reorganisation Act: 2014 (bifurcated AP and created Telangana)
  • Hyderabad was joint capital for: 10 years (2014-2024)
  • Amaravati location: Krishna and Guntur districts, on Krishna River
  • Article 3: Parliament’s power to form/alter/reorganise states
  • YSRCP’s three-capital proposal struck down by: AP High Court
  • 2026 Amendment amends: Section 5 of the Reorganisation Act

Facts Corner

  • Amaravati has historical significance, it was the capital of the Satavahana dynasty (2nd century BCE) and is home to the famous Amaravati Stupa, one of the earliest Buddhist structures in India
  • India’s state capitals are not mentioned in the First Schedule: unlike Pakistan’s constitution which explicitly names Islamabad as the federal capital
  • Article 3 requires the President to refer any bill altering state boundaries/names to the affected state legislature for its views, but Parliament is not bound by the state’s opinion
  • The State Reorganisation Commission (1955) under Fazal Ali recommended linguistic states, AP was the first state formed on a linguistic basis (Andhra State in 1953, from Madras Presidency)
  • AP is the only Indian state that has had its capital changed three times in its modern history: Kurnool (1953-1956), Hyderabad (1956-2024), and now Amaravati (2026-)

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