Tag: Amaravati

  • N Chandrababu Naidu takes charge as Andhra Pradesh CM for the fourth time – The Economic Times Video

    N Chandrababu took charge as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on June 13, 2024, at the State Secretariat in Amaravati after being sworn in as the 18th CM on June 12 in Vijayawada. This is his fourth stint as Andhra Pradesh’s CM, and he led the TDP-BJP-Janasena alliance to victory in the recent Assembly and parliamentary elections. TDP holds the majority in the 175-member Assembly with 135 MLAs, while its allies, the Janasena Party, have 21, and the BJP has eight. The opposition YSR Congress Party was confined to a meagre 11. Watch!

  • Megastars Chiranjeevi and Rajinikanth attend Naidu’s swearing-in ceremony – The Economic Times Video

    On June 12, 2024, N. Chandrababu Naidu was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Union Ministers Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and Nitin Gadkari. Several cine stars, including megastars Chiranjeevi, Rajinikanth, and Ram Charan, were also present at the ceremony. Watch!

  • Jagan govt takes three-capital row to SC

    Express News Service

    NEWDELHI: The Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday moved the Supreme Court challenging a high court judgment declaring Amaravati as the State’s capital. In the Special Leave Petition filed through Advocate Mahfooz A Nazki, the State government argued that the High Court judgment violated the doctrine of separation of powers since it preempted the legislature from taking up the issue. 

    Andhra Pradesh also pointed out that under the federal structure of the Constitution, each State has an inherent right to determine where it should carry out its capital functions. The issue became “infructuous” since two legislations that were challenged in the high court were repealed. “To hold that the State does not have the power to decide on its capital is violative of the basic structure of the Constitution,” the State said in the petition.

    The State approached the high court days after Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy reiterated in the State Assembly that his government’s decentralised administration policy was meant for Andhra’s overall development.

    The YSRC government has been pushing for three capitals for Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati, the legislative capital, Visakhapatnam as the executive capital, and Kurnool, the judicial capital. As part of the proposal, the government brought in the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020, which was challenged by the farmers of Amaravati region. The farmers have given up their land for the development of the sole capital. On Friday, IT Minister Guduvada Amarnath had hinted that executive capital would start functioning from Visakhapatnam from the next academic year.

    In March this year, a high court bench of Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy and Justice DVSS Somayajulu directed the State and AP Capital Region Development Authority to build and develop the Amaravati capital city and capital region within six months, as agreed under the AP Capital Region Development Authority Act (APCRDA) and Land Pooling Rules. 

    It also directed the handing over the developed and reconstituted plots belonging to landowners in Amaravati capital region within three months. The court also said that the State Assembly had no “legislative competence” for passing any resolution — or law — for changing the capital or bifurcating or trifurcating the capital city. 

    The high court had thus effectively preempted the State’s move to revive its “three capital” proposal. “It is for Parliament to set up three organs of the State, i.e. legislature, executive and judiciary, which are essential to the State administration. Thus, it is made clear that the words ‘supplemental, incidental or consequential provisions’ include establishment of legislature, executive and judiciary. By applying the principles laid down in the above judgment, we safely hold that the power is vested in Parliament to set up legislature, executive and judiciary, but not the State legislature,’’ the bench had said while delivering the judgment. It further noted that the State legislature was incompetent to enact any law for setting up those wings.

    (With inputs from Vijayawada bureau)

    NEWDELHI: The Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday moved the Supreme Court challenging a high court judgment declaring Amaravati as the State’s capital. In the Special Leave Petition filed through Advocate Mahfooz A Nazki, the State government argued that the High Court judgment violated the doctrine of separation of powers since it preempted the legislature from taking up the issue. 

    Andhra Pradesh also pointed out that under the federal structure of the Constitution, each State has an inherent right to determine where it should carry out its capital functions. The issue became “infructuous” since two legislations that were challenged in the high court were repealed. “To hold that the State does not have the power to decide on its capital is violative of the basic structure of the Constitution,” the State said in the petition.

    The State approached the high court days after Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy reiterated in the State Assembly that his government’s decentralised administration policy was meant for Andhra’s overall development.

    The YSRC government has been pushing for three capitals for Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati, the legislative capital, Visakhapatnam as the executive capital, and Kurnool, the judicial capital. As part of the proposal, the government brought in the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020, which was challenged by the farmers of Amaravati region. The farmers have given up their land for the development of the sole capital. On Friday, IT Minister Guduvada Amarnath had hinted that executive capital would start functioning from Visakhapatnam from the next academic year.

    In March this year, a high court bench of Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy and Justice DVSS Somayajulu directed the State and AP Capital Region Development Authority to build and develop the Amaravati capital city and capital region within six months, as agreed under the AP Capital Region Development Authority Act (APCRDA) and Land Pooling Rules. 

    It also directed the handing over the developed and reconstituted plots belonging to landowners in Amaravati capital region within three months. The court also said that the State Assembly had no “legislative competence” for passing any resolution — or law — for changing the capital or bifurcating or trifurcating the capital city. 

    The high court had thus effectively preempted the State’s move to revive its “three capital” proposal. 
    “It is for Parliament to set up three organs of the State, i.e. legislature, executive and judiciary, which are essential to the State administration. Thus, it is made clear that the words ‘supplemental, incidental or consequential provisions’ include establishment of legislature, executive and judiciary. By applying the principles laid down in the above judgment, we safely hold that the power is vested in Parliament to set up legislature, executive and judiciary, but not the State legislature,’’ the bench had said while delivering the judgment. It further noted that the State legislature was incompetent to enact any law for setting up those wings.

    (With inputs from Vijayawada bureau)

  • Stone pelting in Maharashtra in protest against assault on Tripura minorities

    By Express News Service

    MUMBAI:  Following alleged incidents of violence against minority communities in Tripura, various Muslim organisations held protests in Malegaon, Parbhani, Nanded and Amaravati in Maharashtra. Some places reported burning and damaging of shops. There were no reports of casualties. Police deployment has been increased in all these locations. In Malegaon, protestors burned two tea and pan shops and pelted stone at hospitals. Some of these establishments belong to Hindus and some to Muslims.

    The protestors had on Friday appealed to the people to shut down shops. However, some shops were open. The protestors planned to submit a resolution in protest against the Tripura incident to local government officials. More than 5,000 people joined the protest in Malegaon, which has a history of such conflicts. Former Chief Minister and current Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said the state government should not allow miscreants take law into their own hands by using the Tripura incident.

    “Stone pelting and damaging of shops are causes of concern. The state government should take immediate steps and control the situation,” Fadnavis said. Stone pelting incidents were witnessed also in parts of Nanded that include Shivaji Nagar, Deglur Naka and Barkat Chauk. No major damage was reported. Protestors in Parbhani demanded that President’s Rule should be imposed in Tripura.

    Shops were closed in most places of the district. Maharashtra home minister Dilip Walse Patil said that after the reports of stone pelting and other violent incidents in some parts of Maharashtra, the police are instructed to handle the situation strictly and take action against those involved. “I appeal to Hindu and Muslim people not to believe in rumours and maintain peace. We need to maintain social unity and everyone should work in that direction and ensure that no violence should happen at all,” said the minister.

  • Andhra govt for court-monitored probe into Amaravati scam

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Urging the Supreme Court to lift the stay imposed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, the State government on Friday submitted that it is ready for a court-monitored investigation into alleged irregularities in land transactions in capital Amaravati. 

    Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for the Andhra Pradesh government, submitted that the government is agreeable to a court-monitored investigation into the land scam even by the CBI. “We agree to no coercive action against the accused. We agree to court-monitoring of the investigation. We also welcome a CBI investigation under the monitoring of the court. But let the investigation continue,” the counsel said 

    A bench comprising, Justices Ashok Bhushan and R Subhash Reddy, expressed difficulty in considering the case and slated the hearing for next week. The case pertains to the Special Investigation Team probe ordered by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government into allegations of large scale scam in the sale of lands in Amaravati region in anticipation of the establishment of new State capital there after the bifurcation of AP in 2014. 

    The FIR names several high profile individuals as accused, including former Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas and relatives of Supreme Court Judge NV Ramana. Last year, the High Court had stayed the SIT probe acting on a petition filed by Dammalapati Srinivas. The High Court also passed a gag order against media reportage and social media discussions on the contents of the FIR. 

    The Andhra Pradesh High Court while staying the SIT probe in the ‘land scam’, had noted that “rule of law demands continuity and a new government cannot be permitted to overturn the decisions of the previous government.”

    ‘No coercive action’

    “We agree to no coercive action against the accused. We welcome a CBI probe into the land scam under the court monitoring. But let the investigation continue,” said counsel Rajeev Dhavan

  • Second wave of Covid-19? Weekend lockdown in Maharashtra’s Amravati as cases surge

    By Express News Service
    MUMBAI: Following a rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra’s Amaravati, district collector Shailesh Naval on Thursday announced a lockdown in the district.

    “Owing to rising cases, lockdown declared in Amravati District from Saturday 8 pm to Monday 7 am,” Naval told reporters. I advise all the people of the district to adhere to Covid guidelines failing which strict action will be taken by the concerned authorities,” he added.

    Following this information, the Yavatmal district also tightened its Covid restrictions. “Restrictions are being put in place in Yavatmal district due to rising Covid cases. It is not a lockdown,” said District Collector, MD Singh.

    Meanwhile, Akola district too reported a rising number of Covid positive cases.

    Maharashtra reported 5,427 new COVID-19 cases, 2,543 discharges, and 38 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per State Health Department on Thursday. The total number of cases in the state is 20,81,520. Total recoveries are 19,87,804. The active cases are 40,858, while the death toll is at 51,669 in the state.

    “People should follow the Covid guidelines strictly as the virus is still here,” said deputy CM Ajit Pawar. He said that lockdown should be immediately imposed in Amaravati, Akola, and Yawatmal. “The Covid 19 positive patients growth percentage is higher in these three districts. When people do not follow the rules, then lockdown is the only option,” Pawar added. 

    On February 16, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray directed senior officials to take strict action against people or organisations who flout Covid guidelines. 

    “If people do not wear masks or follow Covid rules, then the district and police administration has the responsibility to strictly enforce these rules. They must take strict punitive and necessary action without showing any leniency,” stated Thackeray. 

  • No-confidence motion: Modi displayed arrogance of power, dashed hopes of A.P., says Chandrababu Naidu

    After the no-confidence motion moved by the Telugu Desam Party was comprehensively defeated in the Lok Sabha on July 20 night, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of displaying “arrogance of power” and resorting to “cheap talk”.

    Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat in Amaravati, Chandrababu rued that the prime minister did not promise justice to AP that suffered heavily because of the bifurcation in 2014.

    Five crore people of A.P. hoped there will be repentance (on part of the central government) and that it will correct its mistakes. But the hopes were dashed,” the Chief Minister said.

    “The Prime Minister is arrogant. He has displayed arrogance of power. He spoke in a manner mocking our State. He indulged in cheap talk,” Mr. Naidu alleged.

    The Chief Minister wondered why the Prime Minister could not even say he would do justice to A.P. by rectifying the mistakes. “It’s extremely disappointing,” he added.