Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Governor Bishwabhusan Harichandan cleared the two controversial bills seeking three capital cities for the state and abolition of the AP CRDA on Friday. Governor signed Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Repeal Bill- 2020 and Andhra Pradesh De- centralization and Inclusive Development All Regions Bill- 2020, which were sent to the Raj Bhavan on July 18^th.

The clearance from the Raj Bhavan has completed the Legislative process of the two bills, paving the way for location of Executive Capital in Vishakhapatnam, the High Court in Kurnool, making the judicial capital and the Assembly staying in Amaravati, making it the Legislative capital. Earlier the Government had constituted the G.N. Rao committee and later roped in Boston Consulting Group to study the issue of decentralized administration.

A high power committee consisting of Ministers and senior bureaucrats was also constituted to study the recommendations of the two committees and the bills were prepared accordingly. Ever since the proposal was mooted by Government in January – 2020, the state has been witnessing debates and protests. Farmers who have given land to the Government under land pooling scheme for the capital, have been holding protests against the three capitals proposal.

The ruling YSCRP heaved a sigh of relief with the bills crossing the Raj Bhavan hurdle. It was expected that the Governor would not give his consent or delay it. Sources said that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is consulting his senior colleagues in the Government and party on holding Independence Day celebrations in Vishakhapatnam. Though he wanted the 2019 Independence Day celebrations in Vishakhapatnam city, he could not make it and held the celebrations in Vijayawada.

Shifting of High Court and all the judicial commissions of the State Government might wait for sometime as the issue is connected with the Supreme Court and Rashtrapati Bhavan.