IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) MONDAY, THE THIRTY FIRST DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT :PRESENT: THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE L. NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.1563 of 2008 Between: 1. K. Upendar, S/o. Bixamaiah, 2. M. Kishore Kumar, S/o. Madhava Rao, 3. B. Danaiah, S/o. Ramaswamy, 4. K. Srinivas Reddy, s/o. K. Thirupathi Reddy, 5. E. Satyanarayana, S/o. Janardharn, 6. Ch. Raja Brahmachary, S/o. Chandramouli, 7. D. Naga Raju, S/o. Buchaiah, 8. Y. Ramesh Kumar, S/o. Subhash Chandra Bose, 9. P. Srinivas, S/o. Ramaswamy, 10. S. Naga Brahma Chary, S/o. Kotaiah Chary, 11. P. Srinivas, S/o. Mallaiah, Petitioners AND 1. The Chairman & Managing Director, Northern Power Distribution Company of AP Ltd., Corp. Office. Opp : REC Petrol Pump, Hanmakonda, Warangal District - 506 004. 2. The Chief General Manager - HRD, APNPDCL, Corp. Office Opp : REC Petrol Pump, Hanmakonda, Warangal District. 3. The Superintending Engineer-Operation, APNPDCL, Warangal. 4. The Superintending Engineer-Operation, APNPDCL, Karimnagar. 5. The Superintending Engineer-Operation, APNPDCL, Khammam. 6. The Superintending Engineer-Operation, APNPDCL, Adilabad. 7. The Superintending Engineer-Operation, APNPDCL, Nizamabad. 8. K. Khajavali, S/o. Khasim, Occ; Asst Engineer, Operation, Gandhari, APNPDCL, Kama Reddy, Div, Nizamabad. 9. V. Nanda Kumar, S/o. V. Srinivasulu, Occ: Asst. Engineer, Technical, APNPDCL, Janagaon Div, Warangal 10. B. Ravindraiah, S/o. Gaganna, Occ; Asst. engineer, O & M, APNPDCL, Corporate Office, Warangal 11. O.S.V. Sastry, S/o. Chidambara Sastry, Occ: Asst. Engineer, Operation Wardhannapet, APNPDCL, Warangal C&O Div, Warangal 12. B. .Saraiah, S/o. Mysaiah, Occ: Asst Engineer, CT Meters, APNPDCL, Karimangar District. 13. G. Venkata Ramana, S/o. Narsaiah, Occ: Asst. Engineer, Emergy Audit, APNPDCL, Corporate Office, Warangal. 14. N. Anjaiah, S/o. Sayelu, Occ: Asst. Engineer, SPM, APNPDCL, Karimangar District. 15. A Ramdas, S/o. Ramu, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khammam Cirle. 16. R. Srinivas, S/o. Gopala Krishna, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khammam Circle, C/o. R/o. No.10-6-68/7, Burahanapuram, Khammam District. 17. N. Subramaneshwar Rao, S/o. Amara Lingeswara Rao, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khammam Circle. 2 18. L. Tilak, S/o. Ikka, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khammam Circle, 19. P. Subrahmanyam, S/o. Gopalaiah, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khammam Circle. 20. A. Koteswar Rao, S/o. Nageswar Rao, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khmmam Circle. 21. T. Devendra, S/o. Jayaramaiah, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khmmam Circle. 22. K.V. Chandra Mouli, S/o Srinivasa Rao, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khmmam Circle. 23. M. Suneel Kumar, S/o. Krupadanam, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 24. K.J. Ratnakar, S/o. Prabudas, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 25. Ch. Prasanth, S/o. Muralidhar Rao, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 26. J. Sreenivasulu, S/o Shankaraiah, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 27. K. Ramanjaneyulu Reddy, S/o. Satyanarayana Reddy, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 28. N. Annapurna, S/o. alte Musalaiah, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 29. B. Kiran Kumar, S/o. Japa, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. (RR 8 to 9 and 15 to 29 impleaded as per court order dt.19-3- 2008 in WPMP.No.4795/08, and 6474/08 respectively) 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 a writ order or direction more particularly one in the nature of writ of mandamus declaring the action of the respondents in issuing N.O.O (CGM-HRD) Ms.No.301, dt. 19-1-2008 as wholly arbitrary, illegal and violative of the APSEB Service Regulations as adopted by the APNPDCL, and consequently set aside the same The petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing the petition and the affidavit filed herein, and the High Court order dated 31-1- 2008 made in WPMP.No.1893 of 2008 and made herein and upon hearing the arguments of Sri. S. Sharath Kumar, Advocate for the Petitioners and of Sri. Sita Ram Chaparla, Advocate for the Respondents No.,8 to 14 and of M/s. K. Udaya Sri, Advocate for the Respondent No15 to 29. and the Court made the following ORDER “The petitioners assail the orders issued by the first respondent in N.O.O. (CGM-HRS) Ms. No.310, dated 19-01-2008, on several grounds, Though the impugned order, the first respondent, in a way, relaxed the rules of promotion, and the training period, or the service on the contractual basis, to be counted almost of regular service in the context of promotion for about seven categories of posts. This step is said to have been taken, on account of lack of qualified candidates for promotion to the next higher post. 3 While admitting the writ petition, this Court granted interim direction on 31-01-2008. The respondents filed an application to vacate the interim order. Learned counsel for the petitioners and learned counsel for the respondents have advanced expensive arguments, touching on the validity of the impugned order. The legality of the impugned order vis-avis the powers of the first respondent and the consequences thereof on the petitioners, needs to be considered at the hearing of the writ petition. The very purpose of relaxing the rules, through the impugned order, was to enable the first respondent to make appointments by promotion to various categories of posts. It is represented that hundreds of vacancies in various categories are remaining vacant, due to the non-availability of qualified candidates. This Court is of the view that the interests of the petitioners and the respondents can be protected by directing that ten (10) posts in the category of ADE be kept aside, while effecting promotions to that category on the basis of the impugned order, and the promotions so effected was subject to the out come of the writ petition Hence, the interim order, dated 31-01-2008, is modified to the effect that the respondents may proceed with the promotion to the post of ADE, but they shall keep aside ten posts. The promotions so far effected shall be subject to the out come of the writ petition.” ASSISTANT REGISTRAR // TRUE COPY // for ASSISTANT REGISTRAR To 1. The Chairman & Managing Director, Northern Power Distribution Company of AP Ltd., Corp. Office. Opp : REC Petrol Pump, Hanmakonda, Warangal District - 506 004. 2. The Chief General Manager - HRD, APNPDCL, Corp. Office Opp : REC Petrol Pump, Hanmakonda, Warangal District. 3. The Superintending Engineer-Operation, APNPDCL, Warangal. 4. The Superintending Engineer-Operation, APNPDCL, Karimnagar. 5. The Superintending Engineer-Operation, APNPDCL, Khammam. 6. The Superintending Engineer-Operation, APNPDCL, Adilabad. 7. The Superintending Engineer-Operation, APNPDCL, Nizamabad. 8. K. Khajavali, S/o. Khasim, Occ; Asst Engineer, Operation, Gandhari, APNPDCL, Kama Reddy, Div, Nizamabad. 9. V. Nanda Kumar, S/o. V. Srinivasulu, Occ: Asst. Engineer, Technical, APNPDCL, Janagaon Div, Warangal 10. B. Ravindraiah, S/o. Gaganna, Occ; Asst. engineer, O & M, APNPDCL, Corporate Office, Warangal 11. O.S.V. Sastry, S/o. Chidambara Sastry, Occ: Asst. Engineer, Operation Wardhannapet, APNPDCL, Warangal C&O Div, Warangal 4 12. B. Saraiah, S/o. Mysaiah, Occ: Asst Engineer, CT Meters, APNPDCL, Karimangar District. 13. G. Venkata Ramana, S/o. Narsaiah, Occ: Asst. Engineer, Emergy Audit, APNPDCL, Corporate Office, Warangal. 14. N. Anjaiah, S/o. Sayelu, Occ: Asst. Engineer, SPM, APNPDCL, Karimangar District. 15. A Ramdas, S/o. Ramu, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khammam Circle. 16. R. Srinivas, S/o. Gopala Krishna, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khammam Circle, C/o. R/o. No.10-6-68/7, Burahanapuram, Khammam District. 17. N. Subramaneshwar Rao, S/o. Amara Lingeswara Rao, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khammam Circle. 18. L. Tilak, S/o. Ikka, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khammam Circle, 19. P. Subrahmanyam, S/o. Gopalaiah, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khammam Circle. 20. A. Koteswar Rao, S/o. Nageswar Rao, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khmmam Circle. 21. T. Devendra, S/o. Jayaramaiah, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khmmam Circle. 22. K.V. Chandra Mouli, S/o Srinivasa Rao, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Khmmam Circle. 23. M. Suneel Kumar, S/o. Krupadanam, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 24. K.J. Ratnakar, S/o. Prabudas, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 25. Ch. Prasanth, S/o. Muralidhar Rao, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 26. J. Sreenivasulu, S/o Shankaraiah, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 27. K. Ramanjaneyulu Reddy, S/o. Satyanarayana Reddy, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 28. N. Annapurna, S/o. alte Musalaiah, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 29. B. Kiran Kumar, S/o. Japa, Occ: Asst. Engineer, APNPDCL, Warngal Circle. 30. One CC to Sri. S. Sharath Kumar, Advocate (OPUC) 31. One CC to. Sri. Sita Ram Chaparla, Advocate (OPUC) 32. One CC to Sri M/s. K. Udaya Sri, Advocate (OPUC) 33. One Spare Copy KK HIGH COURT LNRJ DT. 31-3-2008 ORDER W.P.NO.1563 OF 2008 DIRECTION Drafted by: KK Drafted on: 3-4-2008 HIGH COURT LNRJ DT. 31-3-2008 ORDER W.P.NO.1563 OF 2008 DIRECTION