IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) WEDNESDAY, THE NINETEENTH DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE V.V.S.RAO and THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.RAMULU WRIT PETITION NO.1478 of 2008 Between: 1 M. Nagaraju, S/o. Late Sri Nageswar Rao, I Addl. Junior Civil Judge, Resident of Tenali, Guntur District. 2 K.V.L. Harin S/o. Late Sri Nageswar Rao, II Addl. Judicial Magistrate of First Class, resident of Bheemavaram 3 D. Ravindra Sharma, S/o. late Sri D.V. Sharma Prl. Junior Civil Judge, Resident of Khammam. 4 V.S. Shivaram, S/o. late Sri D.V. Sharma I Addl. Junior Civil Judge, Resident of Warangal. 5 K. Laxman, S/o. Sri Buchaiah, Prl. Junior Civil Judge, Resident of Ramachandrapuram, East Godavari District. 6 Patil Vasant, S/o. Sri Jeevan Rao, II Addl. Judicial Magistrate of First Class, resident of Kottagudem, Khammam District. 7 G. Chakrapani, S/o. Late Sri Mutyalanaidu, IV Addl. Junior Civil Judge, Cum Rent Controller, Resident of Visakhapatnam. 8 D. Ammana Raja, S/o. Sri D. Veeraswamy, Prl. Junior Civil Judge, Resident of Kottagudem, Khammam District. 9 R. Sarath Babu, S/o. Sri R. Pitchaiah, I Addl. Junior Civil Judge, Resident of Bhimavaram, West Godavari District. ..... PETITIONERS AND 1 The High Court of A.P. Rep by its Registrar (General), High Court Buildings, Hyderabad. 2 Registrar (Vigilance), High Court of A.P., Hyderabad 3 Government of Andhra Pradesh, Rep by its Principal Secretary, Home (Courts), Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad. .....RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Affidavit filed herein the High Court will be pleased to issue an appropriate writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the respondents 1 and 2 in not finalizing the final seniority list of 1998 batch of Junior Civil Judges and proceeding with the process of considering the candidates for promotion to the cadre of Senior Judges on the basis of provisional seniority list is illegal and contrary to the A.P. State Judicial Service Rules and consequently direct the respondents to finalize the seniority list before effecting the promotions to the cadre of Senior Civil Judges and pass such other appropriate orders as are deemed fit and proper in the interests of justice. Counsel for the Petitioners: Sri B.ADINARAYANA RAO Counsel for the Respondents: (SC FOR APHC),P.V.SANJAY KUMAR The Court made the following : THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE V.V.S.RAO AND THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.RAMULU WRIT PETITION No.1478 of 2008 ORDER: (per Hon’ble Sri Justice V.V.S.Rao) The nine petitioners are Junior Civil Judges in Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service. They filed the instant Writ Petition assailing the inaction of the first respondent in finalizing the seniority list of Junior Civil Judges of 1998 batch, and seeking a declaration that the action of the first respondent in proceeding to consider the candidates for promotion to the cadre of Senior Civil Judges on the basis of provisional seniority as illegal and contrary to the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service Rules. In the counter affidavit filed by the Registrar (General) of the High Court it is stated that the provisional seniority list and the objections received therefor were considered by the High Court, and a decision is taken to finalise the seniority list of 1998 batch of Junior Civil Judges. It is also alleged that petitioners cannot claim seniority in the light of final seniority list now prepared by the High Court. Counter averments would show that the main grievance of the petitioners insofar as the finalisation of seniority list does not survive. However, on communication of seniority list to the petitioners, liberty is reserved to them to assail the same, if so advised, in appropriate proceedings. We also hope that seniority list shall be communicated expeditiously. The Writ Petition is rendered infructuous, and is accordingly dismissed. No costs. ____________ (V.V.S.RAO, J) ______________ (C.V.RAMULU, J) 19.03.2008 vs To 1 The Registrar (General), High Court of A.P., High Court Buildings, Hyderabad. 2 Registrar (Vigilance), High Court of A.P., Hyderabad. 3 The Principal Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Home (Courts), Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad. 4 2CD copies Form-NIC-OGS/WP{RLD}