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Amaravati Declared Sole, Permanent Capital of Andhra Pradesh by Statute

Amaravati has been granted statutory status as the sole and permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh following a gazette notification from the Government of India. This came after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which was passed by Parliament. The amendment specifically replaces the wording in the 2014 Act to designate Amaravati as the new capital, ending years of political uncertainty on the issue. The bill saw broad support in Parliament, though it was opposed by the YSR Congress Party over concerns for farmers who gave land for the capital's development.

Key Points: Amaravati Gets Statutory Status as Andhra Pradesh Capital

  • President gives assent to amendment bill
  • Gazette notification grants statutory status
  • Replaces 2014 Act's wording for clarity
  • Ends political flip-flops on capital issue
2 min read

Amaravati gets statutory status as Andhra Pradesh capital

President gives assent, Parliament passes bill making Amaravati the permanent capital, ending years of uncertainty after state bifurcation.

"effectively rules out any future attempts to alter the capital's status - Analysis"

Amaravati, April 6

Amaravati has received statutory status as the sole and permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh with the Government of India issuing a gazette notification on Monday.

This followed after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which was passed by the Parliament last week.

As per the gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Act, 2026, shall be deemed to have come into force on June 2, 2024.

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Act, 2026, amended the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

In the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, in section 5 (2), the words "and there shall be a new capital" have been replaced with "and Amaravati shall be the new capital".

The expression "Amaravati" includes the capital city areas notified under the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014, reads the explanation of the Act.

The Parliament on April 2 gave its final approval to the Amendment Bill, officially designating Amaravati.

The Rajya Sabha passed the bill through a voice vote, a day after the Lok Sabha cleared it.

The enactment has ended years of uncertainty and political flip-flops over the capital issue that arose after the 2014 bifurcation of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh. It effectively rules out any future attempts to alter the capital's status or revive the previous three-capital model.

A total of 35 MPs in both Houses participated in the debate on the bill. Barring two MPs of the YSR Congress Party, all the MPs supported it.

YSRCP opposed the bill on the grounds that it failed to address the concerns of farmers, who gave their lands for the development of the state capital.

The foundation for Amaravati as the state capital was laid in 2015 when the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was in power. However, after YSRCP came to power in 2019, it stopped all the projects in Amaravati and mooted the idea of three capitals.

After the TDP-led NDA stormed to power in 2024, it decided to develop Amaravati as the only capital. The works were re-launched last year.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While I'm glad the uncertainty is over, the YSRCP MPs had a point. What about the farmers who gave up their lands? The article mentions their concerns were not addressed. The development must be inclusive and ensure proper rehabilitation and compensation for them. That's the real test now.
R
Rohit P
Excellent news for Andhra Pradesh! Amaravati has great historical significance as well. This statutory status will boost confidence and hopefully lead to rapid infrastructure development. Time to build a world-class capital for our state! 💪
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see this unfold. From an outside perspective, it seems like a lot of time and public money was wasted on the "three capitals" idea. Hopefully, this legal clarity prevents such costly policy reversals in the future. Stability is key for growth.
A
Aditya G
The bill getting presidential assent and being backdated to 2024 is a strong legal move. It shuts the door firmly on any future attempts to change the capital. Now, the focus should 100% be on execution and delivering the promised development to the people of Andhra.
K
Kavya N
As someone from Visakhapatnam, I understand the logic behind decentralisation, but the constant changes were hurting the state's image. A single, permanent capital is simpler. Just hope the government ensures balanced development across all regions and doesn't neglect other cities.

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