In a big relief to AP chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Supreme Court on Monday stayed the AP high court judgement on Amaravati capital. The AP high court had in March this year directed the State government to develop the returnable plots area in three months and physically hand over them to the farmers. The court also told the state government to develop Amaravati as the capital city in six months.

The state government had challenged the orders in the Supreme Court contesting the time limit and also the high court statement which said that the Legislature has no right to decide on the capital issue. The Supreme Court, which took up hearing on the case on Monday observed that the time limit was meaningless.

The court said that it can not decide where to develop and what development it should do to a state government. It further felt that the court cannot do the duty of the legislature and executive and hence felt that the decision should be left to the government.

The court also took surprise at the AP high court setting time limit to the state government on development and building of the capital. “Is the court doing town planning work?” the judges observed. The judges further felt that development of the area for returnable plots to the farmers with the basic infrastructure of roads, drains, electricity and others, is not possible in three months.

Similarly, development of Amaravati as capital city in six months is also not practical, the court felt and posted the case to January 31, 2023. The court also issued notices to the Central government, state government and the farmers of Amaravati who are also part of the case to file their affidavits.