THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.7024 and 7066 of 2010 Dated: 31.03.2010 W.P.No.7024 of 2010 Between: Thota Srinivas. .. Petitioner. And The Government of Andhra Pradesh, Department of Mines & Geology, Secretariat, Hyderabad, and others. .. Respondents. W.P.No.7066 of 2010 Between: Shaik Meera Mohiddin. .. Petitioner. And The Government of Andhra Pradesh, Department of Mines & Geology, Secretariat, Hyderabad, and others. .. Respondents. COMMON ORDER: These two writ petitions are filed for a Mandamus to declare the action of the respondents in not permitting the petitioners to enjoy the leasehold rights in respect of the Reaches, of which they were granted leases till 31.03.2011, as illegal and arbitrary. At the hearing, the learned Government Pleader for Mines and Geology, on instructions, submitted that in pursuance of the policy decision taken by the respondents, leases in respect of 16 Reaches, including the leases in question in these two writ petitions, have been put to an end to either by termination of the leases or by efflux of time. He submitted that in respect of the leases held by the petitioners, they were terminated on 26.03.2010. Sri C.V.R.Rudra Prasad, learned counsel for the petitioners, submitted that so far the termination orders have not been served on the petitioners. He further submitted that while the petitioners are entitled to question the legality or validity of the said termination orders, the respondents may be directed to hold fresh auctions without prejudice to the petitioners’ rights to question the termination orders. The learned Government Pleader submitted that the clearance by the Director, Groundwater Department, is awaited and that immediately after obtaining the clearance, the respondents will initiate process for holding fresh auctions. The learned Government Pleader submitted that for initiation of this process, it requires at least four weeks’ time. The submission of the learned Government Pleader is placed on record and these writ petitions are disposed of with liberty to the respondents to hold fresh auctions within three weeks from the date of receipt of certificate from the Director, Groundwater Department. _______________________ C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY,J 31.03.2010 v v