Amaravati has been officially designated as the exclusive and enduring capital of Andhra Pradesh, following the issuance of a gazette notification by the Government of India. This development came after President Droupadi Murmu approved the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which had been passed by Parliament the previous week. The gazette notification, released by the Ministry of Law and Justice, states that the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Act, 2026, will be considered effective from June 2, 2024.
The amended Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2026, made changes to the original Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Specifically, in section 5 (2) of the 2014 Act, the phrase “and there shall be a new capital” has been replaced with “and Amaravati shall be the new capital.” The Act’s explanation clarifies that the term “Amaravati” encompasses the capital city areas specified under the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014.
On April 2, Parliament granted its final endorsement to the Amendment Bill, formally confirming Amaravati as the capital. The bill was approved by the Rajya Sabha via a voice vote, a day after it was passed by the Lok Sabha. This legislative action has put an end to the prolonged uncertainty and political fluctuations concerning the capital matter that emerged post the 2014 division of the former united Andhra Pradesh. It effectively eliminates any future attempts to change the capital’s status or revive the previous three-capital model.
A total of 35 Members of Parliament across both Houses participated in the bill’s debate, with all MPs, except two from the YSR Congress Party, supporting it. The YSRCP opposed the bill, citing its failure to address the concerns of farmers who had provided their lands for the state capital’s development. The groundwork for Amaravati as the state capital was laid in 2015 during the tenure of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). However, after the YSRCP assumed power in 2019, all projects in Amaravati were halted, and the concept of three capitals was proposed.
Upon the NDA led by TDP’s victory in 2024, it was decided to progress with Amaravati as the sole capital, and the initiatives were recommenced last year.
