THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.RAMULU W.P.No.21497 of 2007 ORAL ORDER: This writ petition is filed seeking a Mandamus declaring that the members of the petitioner association, who retired under Voluntary Retirement Scheme during the period from 1.9.2000 to 31.3.2003, are entitled to notional benefit of revision of pay scales, 1999 and consequently direct the respondents to pay them the arrears of VRS basing on the pay revision with effect from 1.7.1998 forthwith. The facts are not in dispute. It appears, the Government of A.P. issued G.O.(P) No.114 Finance and Planning (FW:P.C.I) Department dated 11.8.1999 revising the pay scales of the employees. According to clause-9 of the said G.O., the persons who retired between 1.7.1998 and 31.3.1999 shall also be eligible for the revised pay scales, 1999. The notional pay fixed in the revised pay scales, 1999 in accordance with these orders, shall in such cases count towards pensionary benefits. The said G.O. has been adopted by the first respondent-A.P. State Handloom Weavers Coop. Society Limited by way of administrative Circular No.Admn.1/PRC 1999/AE/CO/2004/747 dated 20.2.2004, wherein it is stated that the revised pay scales of 1999 shall be deemed to have come into force notionally from 1.7.1998 and with monetary benefits from 1.2.2004 onwards. This is akin to that of G.O.(P) No.114 Finance and Planning (FW:P.C.I) Department dated 11.8.1999 issued by the Government. According to the petitioners, the first respondent introduced voluntary retirement scheme vide its circular dated 23.8.2000 and the cut-off date prescribed for receiving the willingness options from the employees was on 20.9.2000. Under second phase vide circular dated 12.4.2002, the cut-off date was prescribed as on 31.5.2002. Likewise, under third phase vide circular dated 7.3.2003, the cut-off date prescribed for receiving willingness options from the employees was on 31.3.2003. According to the petitioners, they are all retired from service voluntarily and they were paid the benefits of VRS as per their eligibility. However, after the retirement, Government issued G.O.(P) No.114 Finance and Planning (FW:P.C.I) Department dated 11.8.1999 revising the pay scales notionally from 1.7.1998 and with monetary benefits from 1.2.2004. The said G.O. was adopted by the first respondent vide circular dated 20.2.2004. The grievance of the petitioners is that since they were in service between 1.7.1998 and 1.2.2004, they are also entitled for the notional benefits, which were not extended to them. Hence this writ petition. This Court, while admitting the writ petition on 11.10.2007, granted interim direction directing the respondents to take further action in pursuance of the letter dated 18.1.2005 of the second respondent for payment of VRS Wage Revision arrears to the members of the petitioner association, pending further orders, if the members of the petitioner association are otherwise eligible as per law. As the said order was not implemented by the respondents, petitioner filed a contempt case. However, the said contempt case was closed when it was brought to the notice of the Court that the first respondent society had already submitted proposals to the Government in that regard. The case of the first respondent society is that unless and until clarification is received from the Government, such benefit cannot be extended to the members of the petitioner association. Be that as it may, since the first respondent society has already addressed a letter to the Government on 13.11.2007 seeking clarification in this regard and the same is awaited, I deem it appropriate to direct the respondents to pass appropriate orders, as per law, on the letter addressed by the first respondent on 13.11.2007 within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of this order. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of. No order as to costs. ______________ C.V.RAMULU, J Date: 30.4.2010 DA THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.RAMULU W.P.No.21497 of 2007 30.4.2010 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.RAMULU W.P.No.21497 of 2007 Date: 30th April, 2010 Between: The APCO Voluntary Retired Employees Association, represented by its General Secretary, Hyderabad. .. Petitioner And The A.P. State Handloom Weavers Coop. Society Ltd., rep. by its Managing Director & others. .. Respondents