Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
AP Reorganisation Act
"The Central Act that bifurcated Andhra Pradesh to create Telangana, made Hyderabad a joint capital for 10 years, and placed obligations on the Centre for AP's development — amended in 2026 to designate Amaravati as the sole capital."
The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 was passed by Parliament under Article 3 (power to form/alter/reorganise states) to bifurcate the State of Andhra Pradesh and create the new State of Telangana. It came into force on June 2, 2014. Key provisions: (1) Telangana formed with 10 districts from northwestern AP; (2) Hyderabad designated as the joint capital for both states for 10 years (until 2024); (3) Centre to assist AP in establishing a new capital; (4) Polavaram irrigation project declared a national project; (5) Special assistance for backward districts of successor AP. The Act was amended in 2026 to insert 'Amaravati shall be the new capital' into Section 5 — ending a decade of uncertainty after YSRCP's three-capital proposal (Amaravati/Visakhapatnam/Kurnool) was struck down by the AP High Court. Amara vati has historical significance as the capital of the Satavahana dynasty (2nd century BCE). AP is the only state to have changed its capital three times: Kurnool (1953-56), Hyderabad (1956-2024), Amaravati (2026-).
Critical for GS2 Polity (state reorganisation, Article 3, Centre-State relations). Prelims: know Section 5 (capital), bifurcation date (2014), joint capital period (10 years). Mains: examine Centre's unfulfilled obligations (SCS, capital funding) and the three-capital episode. Connects to: Article 3, State Reorganisation Commission (1955), First Schedule.
- 1 Passed: 2014 under Article 3; created Telangana from AP
- 2 Hyderabad: joint capital for 10 years (2014-2024)
- 3 Section 5: capital for successor AP — amended 2026 to name Amaravati
- 4 Centre's obligations: capital assistance, Polavaram (national project), SCS (not granted)
- 5 YSRCP three-capital proposal: struck down by AP High Court
- 6 Amaravati: Krishna-Guntur districts, on Krishna River
- 7 Historical: Satavahana dynasty capital (2nd century BCE)
- 8 AP is only state with 3 capitals in modern history: Kurnool, Hyderabad, Amaravati
When CM Jagan Mohan Reddy proposed three capitals in 2019, the AP High Court held that the AP Reorganisation Act (a Central Act) required Centre's approval to change the capital — the state could not unilaterally alter Section 5. This ruling underscored that Article 3 gives Parliament, not state legislatures, the final authority over state organisation matters.
