Advocate-General (A-G) S. Sriram insisted in the High Court on Saturday that it should be satisfied with the legality, bona-fides and constitutionality of the process that led to the notification of Amaravati as capital city before adjudicating on the Writ Petitions (WPs) which challenged the validity of AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions and CRDA Repeal Acts.
Summing up his arguments on the matter, Mr. Sriram maintained that none of the pleas of good governance, promissory estoppal and legitimate expectation would be fatal for the constitutionality of the Act and urged the court not to restore the state of affairs in Amaravati, as transpired in 2014, saying that it is a dishonest and non-bonafide decision making process.
He told the court that it was not empowered to restore an illegality which vitiates the original decision of locating the capital in Amaravati city.
The A-G further said Amaravati does not have the characteristics of an inclusive city that reflects a sense of belonging to all the people of the State. A 'right to a city' at State expense is not fundamental to the petitioners and it ought to be available to people across the State.
"Amaravati is posited to be a city that is exclusive for the benefit of a few people", he asserted.
He contended that a few families sought to control land and other resources in the capital city and it is inconsistent with the constitutional ideal of good governance.
The findings of Cabinet sub-committee (set up by the present government) are before the court and the legislative process was preceded by receipt of representations from the affected farmers, the A-G said, adding that the court cannot protect the interests of a few purchasers and other extraneous elements who bought the lands for speculative purposes and such speculation does not merit condonation (by the court).