Jagan seeks Prasad's help to move AP High Court to Kurnool from Amaravati

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy met Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad here on Saturday and requested him to initiate steps to move the main bench of the AP High Court from Amaravati to Kurnool as decided by the state government. During his 50-minute meeting with Prasad, Reddy said the state government had decided to have three capitals for AP -- at Amaravati (legislative capital), Visakhapatnam (executive capital) and Kurnool (judicial capital) -- to ensure equal development of all the regions.

The law ministry is yet to give its consent to move the high court to Kurnool. Reddy also asked the law minister to initiate steps for getting Parliament's nod for the AP Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2019 (known as Disha Act) passed by the state assembly.

The stringent legislation, aimed at ensuring women's safety, mandates judgment to be delivered within 21 days in rape cases. Besides, the death penalty is the punishment for such crimes under this Bill. It also provides for an increased jail term for sexual offenses against minors. The YSRC Party president also took up the issue of the AP government's decision to abolish the state legislative council and requested Prasad to move a Bill in Parliament in this regard and get its approval.