IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY, THE THIRTIETH DAY OF JUNE TWO THOUSAND AND FIVE PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S.ANANDA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO: 14071 of 2005 Between: 1 Pabbathi Reddy Narayana Reddy, S/o. Sathi Reddy, Driver, APSRTC, Nalgonda Bus Depot 2 Yedulla Satyanarayana Reddy, S/o. Veera Reddy, Driver, APSRTC, Nalgonda Bus Depot. 3 Gayam Narender Reddy, S/o. Gopal Reddy, Driver, APSRTC, Nalgonda Bus Depot, Nalgonda. ..... PETITIONERS AND 1 The Regional Manager, APSRTC, Nalgonda Region, at Nalgonda. 2 The Depot Manager, APSRTC, Nalgonda Region Bus Depot, at Nalgonda. .....RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Affidavit filed herein the High Court may be pleased to issue a writ or order or direction more particularly one in the nature of writ of mandamus declaring that the action of the respondents in not giving Special Grade/Stagnation Increment to the petitioners w.e.f. their completion of 12 years of service in APSRTC in total(All regions) and counting the present regions service of 12 years for Special Grade as arbitrary, illegal, unjust and unreasonable and contrary to the circulars and contrary to the judgments of this Hon'ble Court and consequently direct the respondents to effect 12 years Special Grade/Stagnation Increment to the petitioners on their completion of 12 years in all regions. Counsel for the Petitioner: MR.P.VENKATESWAR RAO Counsel for the Respondents: MR.V.T.M.PRASAD (S.C.FOR APSRTC) The Court at the stage of admission made the following: ORDER: This writ petition is filed by the petitioners, who are appointed as Drivers in the respondent-Corporation, aggrieved by the action of the respondents in not granting special Grade increment on the ground that the petitioners are entitled for the benefit as they have completed 12 years of service in the respondent-Corporation as Drivers. 2. At the time of hearing, it is represented by the learned counsel for the petitioners that as per the circular issued by the Corporation, the Corporation employees are entitled for stagnation increment, if an employee of the Corporation did not get any promotion within a period of 12 years or continues in the same post for a period of 12 years. Admittedly, according to the petitioners, they are continuing as Drivers and have completed more than 12 years as Drivers, but the respondent-Corporation did not grant the special grade increment to which they are entitled. The learned counsel also placed a copy of the Division Bench judgment of this Court in the case of Regional Manager, APSRTC v. N.B.Venkaiah and others, wherein it has up held the order of the learned Single Judge that the employees of Corporation are entitled for stagnation increment on the ground that they had completed 12 years of service in that post in which they were appointed. 3. Heard the learned counsel on either side. 4. As the issue is squarely covered by a Division Bench judgment of this Court, referred to above, the petitioners are entitled for special grade increment. Therefore, the respondents are directed to verify the records and grant the special grade increment to the petitioners, from the date of completion of 12 years as Drivers in the respondent-Corporation, within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 5. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of. No order as to costs. __________________ S.ANANDA REDDY, J 30th June, 2005 SKM To 1 The Regional Manager, APSRTC, Nalgonda Region, at Nalgonda. 2 The Depot Manager, APSRTC, Nalgonda Region Bus Depot, at Nalgonda. 3 Two C.Cs. to MR.V.T.M.PRASAD (S.C.FOR APSRTC) (OUT) 4 Two CD copies Form-NIC-OGS/WP{RLD}