Andhra Pradesh: Vijaya Sai moves private member Bill in Rajya Sabha on multiple capitals
The Hindu
It seeks provision of explicit legislative competence to the State Legislatures to establish one or more capital cities
In a significant development in the Rajya Sabha, YSR Congress Party member V. Vijaya Sai Reddy moved a Constitution Amendment Bill (CAB) on Friday seeking the provision of explicit legislative competence to the State Legislatures to establish one or more capitals within their territories.
As per a YSRCP release, the States had powers to decide where to set up a capital city and if they needed more than one capital.
However, Mr. Vijaya Sai Reddy wanted Article 3-A be inserted in the Constitution to clearly enable the States to have one or more capitals as per their choice.
It was a private member Bill, which would have far-reaching implications for the States in terms of their decision on capital cities, if at all it was debated and passed.
Nevertheless, by moving it, the YSRCP once again made clear its intention to have three capitals, notwithstanding the setback suffered by it in the Andhra Pradesh High Court and the continuing stiff resistance to it from the farmers.
Mr. Vijaya Sai Reddy moved another Bill for making an amendment to the Representation of the People Act in order to give MPs or MLAs, who were either in custody or under trial in any case, the right to vote in the Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections.
Besides, he moved a Bill for vesting with the Press Council of India the powers that would ensure greater accountability of news channels and digital news platforms, which were “spreading fake news.”
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday declined to interfere, at present, in the investigation against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who is among the accused persons facing charges of circulating obscene clips, related to “morphed” images and videos clips related to Prajwal Revanna, former Hassan MP, in public domain through pen drives and other modes.
The 16th edition of Bhoomi Habba was held on June 8, at the Visthar campus. The festival drew a vibrant crowd who came together to celebrate eco-consciousness through a variety of engaging activities, creative workshops, panel discussions, interactive exhibits and performances, all centered around this year’s theme: “Save Water, Save Lives.”