CM Jagan reiterates three capital plan

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said on Thursday that lawmaking is in the domain of the Legislature and reiterated that his government has adhered to the concept of decentralized development through the Three Capitals policy decision.

The chief minister explained that the state assembly took up a discussion on decentralized development to tell truths to the people about the functions of systems and about the rights of the legislature.

Rounding off the discussions in the assembly on ‘legislative competence’, Jagan Reddy said courts cannot direct the legislature not to make laws. Lawmaking is in the domain of the Legislature. Fixing a timeline for constructions that are impossible to do is not correct, he said.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to decentralized development, the chief minister asserted, “The decision on three capitals is our right and responsibility as policy-making is in the domain of Legislature.”

The chief minister said courts, based on some presumptions, cannot preempt or direct a government to not make a policy decision. “Courts cannot also lay down impossible conditions or set timelines which cannot be met.”

“The laws we are making stand up to public scrutiny every five years. This is the very reason why the previous dispensation was rejected and the people gave us a thumping mandate with 151 of the 175 seats in the house. Courts should not be getting into our domain of making laws. I am saying this with the utmost respect towards the judiciary and to set the record straight for the future generations,” the chief minister said.

He said, “The timeline set by the courts, like for setting up basic amenities within one month and other infrastructure in the region within six months is impossible to achieve. The 29 villages form a minor fraction of the total state. We are exploring legal options on the issue.”

The chief minister claimed, “We are committed for decentralised development and at the same we will safeguard the interests of the framers of the Amaravati region who gave the land for the capital project. We have seen the Telangana agitation in two phases and the Sivaramakrishnan Committee Report categorically favours decentralized development.”

Jagan said, “The recent verdict of AP high court appears to be a trespass into the legislative terrain though our Constitution has clearly laid down the framework for the three pillars of executive, legislature and judiciary. We felt that these limits were crossed and hence took up a discussion in the house. The court also said the state has no right on decentralization of development and deciding on what should be the capital city, bifurcation or trifurcation, but these were in the purview of the Centre.”

“The Centre on the contrary has given an affidavit stating that capital is a state subject and has also given a reply to a question asked by a TD member in the Parliament quoting Article 3,” the chief minister added.