Two quasi-judicial govt departments told to move out of Amaravati

AMARAVATI:  The office of the Vigilance Commissioner and the chairman of the Commissionerate of Inquiries are the first departments to be ordered to shift out of Amaravati to Kurnool, where the Jagan Mohan Reddy government is planning to set up the judicial capital of Andhra Pradesh.

The government wants to dissemble its administration so as to develop three capitals but the move is facing hurdles in the legislative council where the opposition has majority. Despite that the state’s chief secretary Nilam Sawhney issued, after midnight Friday, to these office to get move base to Kurnool.

These two offices are currently housed in the Interim Government Complex at Velagapudi in the Amaravati capital region.  They are both quasi-judicial offices, hence the move to Kurnool, where the state’s High Court is to be set up.

The district collector and engineer-in-chief (roads & buildings) of Kurnool district have been told to find suitable buildings for them.

The three capitals idea is snagged in the Legislature but also in the High Court, which has asked the government not to shift any of its offices.

The court will next hear the case on February 26 for further hearing. A whole bunch of writ petitions has been filed to challenge the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 and the APCRDA (Repeal) Bill.

Both bills could not pass muster in the Legislative Council where the majority TDP opposition had them referred to a select committee, which is likely to drag its feet on the deliberations.

Following this, the government moved to get rid of the council itself.