IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) TUESDAY, THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND FIVE PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE K.C. BHANU WRIT PETITION NO : 5156 of 2005 Between: P. Ramamurthy Reddy, S/o Seena Reddy, R/o H.No. 1-339, Indira Nagar, Srikalahasthi, Chittoor District. ..... PETITIONER AND 1. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, rep. by its Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Azamabad, Hyderabad. 2. The Regional Manager, A.P. State Road Transport Corporation, Tirupathi Region, Tirupathi, Chittoor District. 3. The Personnel Officer, A.P. State Road Transport Corporation, Tirupathi,. 4. The Chairman , Selection Committee Constituted for Selection of Drivers, A.P. State Road Transport Corporation, Tirupathi, C/o O/o The Regional Manager, Tirupathi. .....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 in the nature of Writ of mandamus, declaring the action of the respondents in not considering the petitioner's case for appointment as Driver in the interviews held on 4-3-2005 along with the candidates on the pretext that there is a delay of 3 1/2 months in submitting the genuine licence as being illegal, arbitrary, violative of principles of promissory estoppel besides violative of Articles 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution of India, and consequently direct the respondents to appoint the petitioner as Driver in the existing vacancies. Counsel for the Petitioner:MR.D.SESHADRI NAIDU Counsel for the Respondent Nos.1 to 4: MR.P.VINAYAKA SWAMY The Court at the admission stage made the following O R D E R: This writ petition is filed questioning the action of the respondents in not considering the case of the petitioner for appointment as driver in the interview scheduled to be held on 04.03.2005 along with the candidates on the pretext that there is a delay of three and half months in submitting the genuine licence. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner was not in a position to submit the driving licence within time because he could not obtain the licence from the competent authority in time. On 13.03.2002, the Regional Transport Authority, Tirupathi has granted the licence to the petitioner. So on that ground, the case of the petitioner cannot be rejected. In the circumstances, a direction can be given to the respondents to permit the petitioner to participate in the interview. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of directing the respondents to permit the petitioner to participate in the interview and thereafter, the same shall have to be considered in accordance with law. This order will not give any right of appointment to the petitioner. No costs. ______________ (K.C.BHANU, J) Dt. 15.03.2005 usd To 1. The Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, Azamabad, Hyderabad. 2. The Regional Manager, A.P. State Road Transport Corporation, Tirupathi Region, Tirupathi, Chittoor District. 3. The Personnel Officer, A.P. State Road Transport Corporation, Tirupathi,. 4. The Chairman , Selection Committee, A.P. State Road Transport Corporation, Tirupathi, C/o O/o The Regional Manager, Tirupathi. 5. Two CD copies Form-NIC-OGS/WP{AVLR}