IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) TUESDAY, THE TWENTY SIXTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE RAMESH RANGANATHAN WRIT PETITION NO : 6886 of 1999 Between: 1 D.Chandrakala W/o. D.Somaiah R/o. 3-2-5/2, Motilal Nehru Nagar, Kachiguda, Hyderabad. 2 C.Subhadra W/o. Jeevan R/o. Saroornagar, Hyderabad. 3 K. Gandhari w/o. Srihari R/o. Saroornagar, Hyderabad. 4 K. Eshwaramma W/o. K. Yadagiri R/o. Tukaramgate Lalaguda, Sec'bad. 5 S. Saraswathi W/o.Jagadishwar R/o. Old Alwal, Sec'bad. 6 N. Sobha W/o. N.Yadagiri R/o. Kachiguda X Roads, Hyderabad. 7 S. Bharathi W/o. S.Rajaiah R/o. Barakatpura, Hyderabad. 8 B. M. Vijayalaxmi W/o. Yadagiri R/o. New Bhoiguda, Sec'bad. 9 Muchkunda D/o. Rangaswamy R/o. Karkhana Hyderabad. 10 B. Bharathi D/o. Balmurthy R/o. Hyderabad. 11 A Narmada w/o. Ashok Kumar R/o. Saidabad, Hyderabad. 12 G. Shantha D/o. K.V Raghunath Rao R/o. Ziaguda, Hyderabad. 13 M. Nirmala W/o. Baburao r/o. Near Shakarmutt, Nallakunta, Hyderabad. 14 B.R.Anasuya W/o. B.R. Ramalingam H.No. C-5-73, Jaipur Colony, Nagole, R.R.Dist, Hyderabad. ..... PETITIONERS AND 1. The Government of A.P. Rep. by its Secretary, Health Medical & Family Welfare Deptt Secretariat, Hyderabad. 2 The Director, Institute of Preventive Medicines Narayanaguda, Hyderabad. 3 The Managing Director AP Schedule Caste Finance Corporation Ltd. Masabtank, 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 may be pleased to issue an appropriate Writ or Direction particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the impugned G.O.Rt.No. 143, dt. 1.2.99 as illegal, unjust, in violation of Article 14, 16 and 21 of the constitution of India, and also in violation of principles of natural justice and consequently direct the respondents to regularise our services in the interest of justice and fair play and pass such other order or orders as may deemed fit and proper in the circumstances of the case. Counsel for the Petitioners :MR.A.K.JAYAPRAKASH RAO Counsel for the Respondents: GP FOR MEDICAL HEALTH & FAMI.WELFARE The Court made the following : ORDER: G.O.Rt.No.143 dated 01.02.1999, whereby the Government had decided to wind up the Orosol Unit, under the control of the Director, Institute of Preventive Medicine, Hyderabad, and terminate the services of all the 14 women workers of the Orosol Unit under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (for short ‘the I.D.Act’), is questioned in this writ petition as arbitrary and illegal. 2. In the aforesaid G.O., it is stated that production of the Orosol Unit had come down from year to year excepting some fluctuations in some years, that in the tenders floated by Medical Institutions, the rates quoted by other suppliers of this product were lower than the rate of Orosol produced by the Institute of Preventive Medicine and that, after examining all aspects, it was felt that continuation of the Orosol Unit was not economically viable. While deciding to wind up the Orosol Unit, and terminate the services of all the 14 women workers therein, the G.O. itself records that their services would be terminated in accordance with the provisions of the I.D.Act, and that the Director should come up with a detailed proposal for sanction of compensation under the provisions of the I.D.Act to all the 14 workers of Orosol Unit. 3. Pursuant to the interim order passed by this Court, the petitioners’ services are being continued till date. 4. Sri A.K.Jaya Prakash Rao, learned counsel for the petitioners, would submit that pursuant to the proposals being sent, regularization of the services of the petitioners is under consideration. 5. Since the respondents have stated in the counter affidavit, and in the impugned G.O., that on closure of the Orosol Unit the services of the petitioners shall be terminated in accordance with the procedure contemplated under the provisions of the I.D.Act, the only relief that the petitioners can be granted in this writ petition is that their services be continued till their services are terminated in accordance with the applicable provisions of the I.D.Act. Needless to state that if the Government, on its own accord, chooses to regularize the services of the petitioners herein, this order shall not preclude them from doing so. 6. The writ petition is, accordingly, disposed of. No costs. _______________________ (RAMESH RANGANATHAN,J) 26th February, 2007 v v To 1.2CCs to 2.2CD copies