The Supreme Court has issued notices to 264 respondents, including the central government, in a case filed by the state government challenging the ruling of the AP High Court in March last year that the Andhra Pradesh Legislature has no legislative power to change the capital of Andhra Pradesh and divide the capital city into two or three.
The Supreme Court bench comprising Justice KM Joseph and Justice BV Nagarathna, which heard the case on November 28, issued this notice to the respondents. The next hearing has been postponed to the 31st of this month, suggesting that everyone should answer it by the last week.
The registry has given them till 31st of this month to file a counter on the points mentioned in the petition by the AP government.
The list of respondents includes Union Cabinet Secretary, Home, Justice, Environment, Forest, Education, Personnel Affairs, Training, NITI Aayog Secretaries, Principal Accountant General, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, AP CM Jagan, State Ministers, Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council Chairpersons.
Also, TDP, BJP, YSR Congress, Congress, CPI, CPM and Janasena parties are in the list of respondents. 264 respondents mean the court has to hear everyone’s arguments if they ask for. This is very much time consuming and that means the judgement is not possible any time sooner. It may even get delayed until after the elections.
But it has to be seen what happens to Jagan’s plan to set up a camp office in Vishakapatnam and function from there.
