Three capital row: Andhra Pradesh cabinet clears resolution to abolish Upper House of Legislature

Amravati, Jan 27: The Jagan government on Monday cleared resolution to abolish the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council after the opposition TDP, which has an absolute majority in the Upper House, continued to block the AP Decentralisation of Governance and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill-2020 that facilitates the creation of three capitals for the State.

The crucial bill, which provides for a Legislative Capital in Amaravati, Executive Capital in Visakhapatnam and Judicial Capital in Kurnool, was passed in the Assembly Monday night and the same was sought to be introduced in the Upper House on Tuesday morning by Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy.

Last week, during a special winter assembly session, the TDP created a roadblock for the YSRCP in the council by sending the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Repeal Bill 2020 and the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of all Regions Bill 2020 to a select committee for further deliberation, after it was passed in the assembly.

With this, only five of 28 states will have a State Legislative Council. The latest state to have a council is Telangana.

The Legislative Council is the upper house in those states of India that have a bicameral legislature; the lower house being the State Legislative Assembly. Its establishment is defined in Article 169 of the Constitution of India.

• Bihar
• Karnataka
• Maharashtra
• Uttar Pradesh
• Telangana