IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) WEDNESDAY, THE TWENTY THIRD DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE MRS JUSTICE T.MEENA KUMARI and THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE G.CHANDRAIAH WRIT PETITION NO : 8966 of 2008 Between: 1 The Government of Andhra Pradesh, rep. by its Secretary, Finance (Admn.III) Dept., Secretariat, Hyderabad. 2 The Directorate of Treasuries and Accounts, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad. 3 The Regional Joint Director, Treasuries and Accounts, Visakhapatnam. 4 The District Treasury Office, Office of the District Treasury Office at Visakhapatnam. ..... PETITIONERS AND Dourla Madhusudhana Chakrapani, Sub-Treasury Office at Kotauratla Mandal & Village, Visakhapatnam District. .....RESPONDENT 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 a writ order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Certiorari calling for the records relating to the orders of the A.P. Administrative Tribunal passed in O.A.No.3257/2003 dated 08.06.2007 as being erroneous, illegal and unreasonable and quash the same. Counsel for the Petitioners:GP FOR SERVICES II Counsel for the Respondent No.: . The Court made the following : THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE T.MEENA KUMARI & THE HON'BLE SRI. JUSTICE G.CHANDRAIAH WRIT PETITION NO :8966 of 2008 ORDER: (Per the Honourable Smt. Justice T.Meena Kumari) This writ petition is filed seeking to set aside the order, dated 8.6.2007 passed by the A.P. Administrative Tribunal in O.A.No.3257 of 2003. The respondent herein is the applicant before the tribunal and he filed the above O.A., seeking to set aside the proceedings in Rc.No.1961/2002/A3, dated 21.5.2003 and to declare that the he is entitled for the benefits of the exemption granted to the similarly situated persons as in G.O.Ms.No.783 dated 31.12.2001. The tribunal having observed that the intention of the Government is to grant one time exemption to the Junior Accountants, who were appointed on compassionate grounds, from passing the type-writing Examination in English Higher Grade and when similarly situated persons are granted exemption on the ground of policy decision taken by the Government, denying the said benefit to the applicant amounts to offending Art.14 of the Constitution of India and that the applicant is equal to the persons mentioned in G.O.Ms.No.783, dated 31.12.2001, allowed the O.A. directing the respondents to take steps to grant exemption to the applicant on similar lines that was granted to the persons mentioned in G.O.Ms.No.783, dated 31.12.2001 and pass necessary orders within a period of ten weeks from the date of receipt of the copy of the order and continue the applicant in the post of Junior Assistant. Having aggrieved by the same, the present writ petition has been filed by the authorities. Heard the learned Government Pleader and perused the material available on record. The material on record and the order impugned clearly go to show that the applicant was appointed vide proceedings dated 11.9.1998 on compassionate grounds on condition that he should acquire the qualification of typewriting Higher Cadre in English within two years from the date of appointment. Subsequently, on 31.12.2001, the impugned G.O., has been issued granting one time exemption to the Junior Accountants from passing the type-writing examination in English Higher Grade. It is not disputed that the similarly situated persons enjoyed the benefit of the above G.O. Therefore, the denial of the same benefit to the similarly situated person i.e., the applicant, amounts to discrimination as rightly observed by the tribunal. In this view of the matter and in the absence of any reasons as to the delay in filing the above writ petition nearly after a period of 10 months, We feel that the writ petition is devoid of merits and the same is liable to be dismissed. Accordingly, the writ petition is dismissed. No order as to costs. ________________________ Justice T.Meena Kumari ______________________ Justice G.Chandraiah Dated:23.4.2008 Gurc/nn THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE T.MEENA KUMARI & THE HON'BLE SRI. JUSTICE G.CHANDRAIAH WRIT PETITION NO :8966 of 2008 (Division Bench Order delivered by Honourable Smt. Justice T.Meena Kumari) 23/04/2008