The Union Home Ministry has approved people's capital Amaravati as the permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh. The decision will now be placed before the Union Cabinet in the last week of December for further approval.
Following this, the Amaravati Capital Bill is expected to be introduced in Parliament during the Parliamentary sessions in February. This move is aimed at giving formal legislative backing to Amaravati's status as the state capital.
Earlier, the Andhra Pradesh government had written to the Union Home Ministry seeking recognition of Amaravati as the capital from June 2, 2024. The request involved revising Sections 5 and 2 of the States Reorganisation Act.
In a letter dated December 1, the Union Home Ministry sought clarity on the effective date for recognising the capital. The state chief secretary responded, stating that June 2, 2024 should be the legal date through amendments to Sections 5 and 2.
The chief secretary also noted that the date aligns with provisions under the States Reorganisation Act, which allowed Hyderabad to serve as the capital for ten years. This reasoning was conveyed to the secretary of the Union Home Ministry.
The Union Home Ministry will now submit a detailed note to the Cabinet in December. Once approved, the proposal will be sent to Parliament for ratification during the Budget session in 2026.