The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014

Summary of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014:
I. Territorial Reorganisation & Governance
State Formation: - Telangana: Established from specified Andhra Pradesh territories.
• Residual Andhra Pradesh: Comprises remaining territories.
Common Capital - Hyderabad:
• Shared for up to 10 years, thereafter exclusively Telangana's, with a new capital for Andhra Pradesh.
Governance Provisions: - Common Governor initially.
• Special Responsibility for Hyderabad’s Security and Management.
II. Asset, Liability, and Benefit Distribution
Principle of Apportionment: - Default: Population ratio.
• Exception: Agreement between states for equitable distribution, subject to Central Government approval.
Specific Distribution Methods: - Location, Population Ratio, or Mutual Agreement for land, goods, treasury balances, taxes, loans, investments, and public debt.
III. Legislative, Judicial, and Legal Frameworks
Legislative Assemblies and Councils: - Provisions for member allocation, constituency delimitation, and new council formations.
Judicial: - Common High Court at Hyderabad until Andhra Pradesh’s new High Court is established.
Legal Adaptations: - Central Government’s Power to Adapt Laws.
• Constitutional Amendments to accommodate Telangana.
IV. Dispute Resolution and Central Assistance
Dispute Resolution: - Central Government’s Role in resolving disputes and ensuring equitable treatment.
Assistance Provisions: - Central Aid for Security.
• Advisory Committees for resource and personnel allocation guidance.

Legislative History:

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014

Short Title The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014

Act Number / Year Act No. 6 of 2014

India Code Act ID 201406

Introduced In Parliament (Lok Sabha)

Presidential Assent Date March 1, 2014

Enforcement Date June 2, 2014

Nodal Ministry Ministry of Home Affairs

Precedent & Statutory Rationale

1. Fulfilling Regional Aspirations and Long-Standing Demands:

o Grounded in decades of intense political and social movements demanding separate statehood for the Telangana region, the legislation aimed to address structural regional imbalances concerning economic development, resource distribution, irrigation infrastructure, and public employment.

2. Constitutional Exercise under Article 3:

o Formulated pursuant to the explicit powers of Parliament under Article 3 of the Constitution of India to form new States by separation of territory, following the mandatory statutory reference of the reorganization bill to the Andhra Pradesh State Legislature.

Parliamentary Trajectory & Enactment

• Formulation: Developed and piloted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), backed by a specialized Group of Ministers (GoM) to untangle administrative, financial, and legal complexities associated with the state's bifurcation.

• Parliamentary Passage: Introduced in the Lok Sabha on February 13, 2014, passed by the Lok Sabha on February 18, 2014, and subsequently passed by the Rajya Sabha on February 20, 2014.

• Presidential Assent: Received formal Presidential Assent from President Pranab Mukherjee on March 1, 2014, entering the statute book as Act No. 6 of 2014.

• Enforcement: Enforced on June 2, 2014.

• Source: India Code Official Repository and Ministry of Home Affairs Official Records