Amaravati capital sealed

metro india news  I amaravati

In a landmark development, Amaravati has been accorded complete legal status as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh, with the Union Government issuing an official Gazette notification following the President’s assent to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Act, 2026.

The notification, issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, marks the culmination of a multi-stage legislative process. The amendment bill, seeking to formally designate Amaravati as the state capital, was first adopted by the Andhra Pradesh Assembly and subsequently approved by both Houses of Parliament. President Droupadi Murmu’s assent on April 6 provided the final constitutional approval, paving the way for the Gazette notification.

With this, Section 5(2) of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 has been amended. The earlier phrase “there shall be a new capital” has now been replaced with “Amaravati shall be the new capital,” removing any ambiguity over the state’s capital status. The notification also clarifies that “Amaravati” refers to the capital city area notified under the AP Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Act, 2014.

Significantly, the amendment has been given retrospective effect from June 2, 2024, ensuring legal continuity and validating administrative decisions taken in the interim period.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu described the development as a historic milestone and a long-awaited fulfilment of the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh. Thanking President Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Parliament members for their support, he termed it “a victory for five crore people, especially the farmers of Amaravati.”

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan described April 6 as a golden day for Andhra Pradesh, stating that a decade-long uncertainty over the capital has finally ended. The decision is also seen as a turning point in governance and planning, as any future changes to the capital status will now require Parliamentary approval.

With legal certainty now firmly established, the focus is expected to shift towards fast-tracking construction and realising the vision of Amaravati as a world-class capital city.