(AP News- New Delhi)
Parliament has passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, formally declaring Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh with retrospective effect from June 2, 2024, bringing legal closure to the State’s capital status after the end of the common capital arrangement with Hyderabad.
The amendment modifies Section 5(2) of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 by replacing the earlier open-ended provision “there shall be a new capital” with a definitive clause stating that “Amaravati shall be the new capital.”
The law further provides that it “shall be deemed to have come into force on the 2nd day of June, 2024,” thereby giving the declaration retrospective operation from the date when the ten-year common capital period ended. It also clarifies that Amaravati includes the areas notified under the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014.
The Union Government stated that the amendment was intended to provide “statutory clarity” and to give effect to the resolution passed by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on March 28, 2026, which sought explicit incorporation of Amaravati in the central law.
Broad Political Support
The Bill was taken up and passed after a debate in the Lok Sabha that reflected broad political support across parties, including constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance as well as several parties from the Opposition bloc led by the Indian National Congress. Members from the treasury benches backed the legislation as a necessary step to remove long-standing ambiguity and align the statute with the administrative reality in the State.
Union Minister Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar argued during the discussion that granting statutory status to Amaravati would help restore investor confidence and unlock infrastructure investments estimated at around ₹56,000 crore. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai acknowledged the Andhra Pradesh Assembly’s request and thanked members for supporting the amendment.
The principal opposition came from the YSR Congress Party, whose members opposed the Bill and staged a walkout during its passage, marking the only clearly visible dissent in the House.
Legal Significance
With this enactment, Parliament has converted what was originally an open-ended requirement for a future capital into a clear statutory declaration. The law removes ambiguity in the 2014 framework and formally anchors Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh in central legislation.
In effect, the amendment not only settles the legal status of the capital but also aligns the statutory framework with the post-2024 administrative reality, while reflecting broad parliamentary support.
