THE HON’BLE Ms. JUSTICE G. ROHINI WRIT PETITION No.2484 OF 2007 Dated: 10.11.2009 Between: Mavuluri Prameela … Petitioner And The Child Development Project Officer, Vinjamoor Mandal, Nellore District,. And 3 others. … Respondents THE HON’BLE Ms. JUSTICE G. ROHINI WRIT PETITION No.2484 OF 2007 ORDER: The petitioner herein worked as Early Childhood Education (ECE) Instructor at M.P.P. School, Gundemadakala of Vinjamur Mandal, Nellore District from 18.01.1998 to 31.03.2005. This writ petition is filed aggrieved by the alleged action of the respondents in not considering the petitioner’s case for appointment as Anganwadi Worker taking into consideration her prior service as ECE Instructor in the same village and seeking a direction to the respondents to consider her case for appointment as Anganwadi Worker. The Early Childhood Education Centres were established under District Primary Education Project (DPEP) by the Education Department for Universalisation of Elementary Education and the said Centres were being managed by ECE School Committees. The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme started in the year 1975 by the Department of Women Development and Child Welfare and Disabled Welfare was also working for the cause of child development. For administration of the ICDS Scheme, Anganwadi Centres are established at Village level throughout the State. While so, it has been decided by State Government to converge the ECE component of DPEP with Integrated Child Development Services Scheme by providing financial assistance to the willing, existing Mothers Committees of the Anganwadi Centres. Accordingly a scheme has been formulated vide G.O.Ms.No.49, Education (SEPROG-I) Department dated 2.5.2000 for implementation of the said decision. Pursuant thereto, a notification was issued by the 2nd respondent - Project Director, ICDA, Nellore District - in the year 2006 inviting applications for appointment of Anganwadi Workers in Gundemadakala Village. The petitioner alleges that there is no necessity to open a fresh Anganwadi Centre at M.P.P. School, Gundemadakala Village and at any rate since no sanctioned post of Anganwadi Worker is existing, the question of closing down the existing ECE Centre and appointment of Anganwadi Worker does not arise. It is also contended that as per the guidelines issued under G.O.Ms.No.49, dated 2.5.2000, the ECE has to be merged with ICDS and consequently the petitioner, who is working as ECE Instructor, has to be continued instead of issuing the notification for appointment to the post of Anganwadi Worker. Hence, the present writ petition. In the counter-affidavit filed on behalf of the 2nd respondent, it is stated that the ICDS scheme was started in the year 1975 in Andhra Pradesh and at present there are about 376 Blocks in throughout the State of Andhra Pradesh with 66,101 Anganwadi Centres in 23 Districts. The post of Anganwadi Worker/Helper is created in ICDS for administering the services of the programme at Village level. The Anganwadis are run by the Anganwadi Workers, who would be in- charge for delivery of various services envisaged under the ICDS scheme and they are paid honorarium. The selection of Anganwadi Workers has to be made by a duly constituted Selection Committee at District Level. So far as, ECE Centres are concerned, it is contended that ECE Instructors have to be given preference in selection of Anganwadi Workers. It is further contended that pursuant to the notification, the petitioner had also made an application and her candidature was considered by the Selection Committee constituted for the purpose of selection and recruitment of Anganwadi Workers. Since the Selection Committee was not satisfied with the performance of the petitioner in written and oral test, the question of giving preference to her in recruitment to the post of Anganwadi Worker does not arise. I have heard the learned counsel for both the parties. As could be seen from the guidelines issued under G.O.Ms.No.49, dated 2.5.2000, if all factors of recruitment to the posts of Anganwadi Workers are equal, preference shall be given to the ECE Instructors for appointment to the post of Anganwadi workers. Having considered an identical issue, a Division Bench of this Court in W.P.No.18585 of 2003 held that the petitioner therein, who worked as ECE Instructor, was entitled for preferential treatment in the matter of absorption whenever an Anganwadi Centre was opened. Thus, it is clear that what all required is to give preference to ECE Instructors in appointment of Anganwadi Workers. Nothing could be placed before this Court by the petitioner to show that she being an ECE Instructor is entitled to be absorbed as Anganwadi Worker automatically without being subjected to the selection process. Since the specific plea of the respondents in their counter- affidavit that the Selection Committee was not satisfied with the performance of the petitioner in the written test as well as oral test could not be contradicted by the petitioner, the Mandamus for absorption of the petitioner as Anganwadi Worker at Gundemadakala Village cannot be granted. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is dismissed. No costs. ____________ G. ROHINI, J. Dt. 10.11.2009 gbs