SC: Will not interfere in AP HC stay on 3 capitals

THE SUPREME Court said the High Court must give an early decision on the matter

THE APEX court observed that if it intervened now, it will lead to those who approached the High Court in the case falling back

In a blow to the YSRC government, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to interfere with the Andhra Pradesh High Court order directing the state government to maintain status quo on the trifurcation of the state capital in three cities — V isakhapatnam , Amaravati and Kurnool.

Refusing to entertain the Andhra Pradesh government’s plea against the status quo order and dismissing it, the court while noting that the High Court has already fixed the hearing of the matter, said, “Looking into the nature of the issues raised, we also observe that the matter needs an early decision by the High Court.”

Refusing to interfere with the “interim order,” Justice Ashok Bhushan, heading a three-judge bench, noted that the High Court adjourned the hearing for 10 days on the request of the state government as it wanted to file a reply to the petitions challenging the trifurca

tion of the state capital. This status quo order has since been extended by the High Court.

Telling the court that most of the petitioners before the High Court are farmers, senior counsel, Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for Chief Minister, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government, said that the old Act is gone and due to status quo order nothing is happening, everything is “paralysed.”

As Dwivedi persisted with his plea against the status quo order, Justice Bhushan said, “If we allow you to do things and all those who have approached the High Court challenging the trifurcation succeed, everything will fall back.”

A month or two will not make any difference, the court said, as Dwivedi said that the state government has to do a lot of preparatory work, set up institutions and the departments. He said that never in the past has the judiciary come in the way of the state government deciding on its capital city.

As Dwivedi unsuccessfully sought to persuade the court to intervene, senior counsel, Ranjit Kumar, told the court that the high court is commencing a daily hearing of the petitions from Thursday (August 27) and let the High Court decide the matter.

Senior counsel, Rohinton Fali Nariman, said that the presidential order making Amravati the seat of the state high court continues to remain in operation.

Initially, the matter was listed before the bench headed by Chief Justice, Sharad A. Bobde but he recused from hearing it as his daughter had appeared for one of the parties before the high court.