In a swift development, the Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday prorogued the state legislative assembly and legislative council, leaving a question mark on the fate of two bills related to formation of three capital cities for the state.
Governor Bishwabhushan Harichandan issued a notification to this effect on Thursday evening.
While it is a matter of routine for the assembly and council to be prorogued soon after the completion of every session – this time, the winter session was held in two spells, the present decision is significant in the wake of a controversy over the issue of the two bills being referred to the select committee.
Since the YSRC government is hell bent on seeing that the two bills -- AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Bill – are not sent to the select committee, it might promulgate an ordinance on these two bills.
Sources said once the ordinance is issued, the two bills before the council would automatically get lapsed, as the select committees have not been formed yet.
Through the ordinance, which will be in force for a period of six months, the government can shift the offices from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam and the high court to Kurnool.
The bills could be later introduced in the assembly. In the meantime, the Jagan government will see to it that the legislative council gets abolished, so that there are no hurdles for it in the capital shift.
