PIL Filed for Extending Hyderabad’s Status as Joint Capital for Another Decade

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking to extend Hyderabad’s status as the joint capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for another 10 years. The petition was filed by Anil Kumar Podili, the secretary of the Public Welfare Service Society from NTR district in Ibrahimpatnam. The respondents named in the lawsuit include the Secretary of the Home Ministry, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary (AP CS), the Special Chief Secretary of the Industries and Commerce Department, the Finance Secretary, and the Secretary of the General Administration Department.

Despite the 10-year term for Hyderabad as the joint capital ending on June 2, the petition claims that several issues remain unresolved between the two states as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. It mentions unresolved matters relating to the division of assets, liabilities, and various companies and corporations listed in the ninth schedule. Therefore, the petitioner has requested the Central Government to take necessary actions to ensure Hyderabad remains the joint capital until June 2, 2034, and to declare the failure to implement the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act as unconstitutional and against the law.

The petition criticizes the Central Government’s unscientific approach to the bifurcation, which has left Andhra Pradesh without a capital for the past decade. It argues that the Central Government’s failure has led to disputes over the division of assets and liabilities between the two states and accuses the government of not acting in accordance with its powers. 

The petitioner emphasizes that the issues arising from the implementation of the bifurcation act, which have led to legal disputes, should be resolved while Hyderabad is still the joint capital. The petitioner insists that Andhra Pradesh has the right to demand the continuation of Hyderabad as the joint capital due to the non-implementation of the bifurcation act’s provisions.