IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) FRIDAY, THE TWENTY SEVENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO : 24942 of 2002 Between: K. Ravi Kumar, S/o Bhumanna R/o 1-3-43, Shastri Nagar, Nirmal, Adilabad District ..... PETITIONER AND 1 The Superintending Engineer(OPN) Northern Power Distribution Co. of A.P Ltd., Adilabad 2 The Divisional Engineer (operation), Northern Power Distribution Co. of AP Limited, Adilabad ..RESPONDENTS Counsel for the Petitioner:MR.K.VASUDEVA REDDY Counsel for the Respondents : SRI O.MANOHAR REDDY (SC FOR APTRANSCO) The Court made the following : O R D E R: This writ petition is filed for a writ of Mandamus to set aside letter dated 23-07-2002 of the Assistant Accounts Officer, ERO, Nirmal of respondent No.1-Corporation. The petitioner holds Service Connection No.5687. Under the impugned letter, the petitioner was informed by the Assistant Accounts Officer, Nirmal that the readings/consumptions of Service Connection No.5682 for the period from 8/97 to 6/2002 actually pertain to Service Connection No.5687 said to have been transferred as per AAE/OP/T/Nirmal in letter dated 21-04-2001. According to the petitioner, Service Connection No.5682 stood in the name of one Shankar and the petitioner has nothing to do with the same. No counter-affidavit is filed controverting the averments contained in the affidavit. It is not disputed that before serving the impugned letter on the petitioner, the respondents have not issued any prior notice giving the petitioner an opportunity of explaining that he has nothing to do with Service Connection No.5682. The law is well settled that any action, which involves adverse civil consequences, should be preceded by an opportunity to the person, who is likely to be affected. As no such opportunity is given to the petitioner, the impugned demand cannot be sustained in law and accordingly, the same is set aside. The respondents are given liberty to initiate fresh action by giving a notice to the petitioner calling for his explanation and pass appropriate order after considering the same. The writ petition is, accordingly, allowed. C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY, J Dated 27th February, 2009 vrn