IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY, THE ELEVENTH DAY OF DECEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE SRI ANIL R. DAVE and HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE R.SUBHASH REDDY WRIT PETITION No.24047 of 2008 Between: 1. K. Venkateswarlu, S/o. K. Pedda Papanna, R/o. M. Ganapuram Village, East Prathikota Post, Pagidyala Mandal, Kurnool District. 2. M. Ramanamma, W/o. M. Sriramulu, R/o. East Prathikota Post, Pagidyala Mandal, Kurnool District. ... PETITIONERS AND 1 The Government of Andhra Pradesh, Rep. by its Principal Secretary, Home (PSC) Department, Secretariat Buildings, Hyderabad. 2 The Director General of Police, Government of Andhra Pradesh, At Lakdikapool, Hyderabad. 3 The Superintendent of Police, Kurnool District at Kurnool. ...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 an appropriate Writ, Order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the inaction of the respondents in shifting the Pagidyal Police Station from Nandikotkuru Town to the Pagidyala Mandal Headquarter at Pagidyala Village, Kurnool district as illegal, arbitrary and violative of Article 21 of the Constitution of India and consequently, set aside the G.O.Ms. No.251 Home (PSC) Department, dated 22-11-2005 by directing the respondents to re-shift the Pagidyal Police Station from Nandikotkuru Town to Pagidyala Mandal Headquarter at Pagidyala Village, Kurnool District. Counsel for Petitioners: Mr. J. Ugranarasimha for Ms. C. Jhansi Rani Counsel for the Respondents: G.P., Home The Court made the following: Order: (Per Hon’ble Sri Anil R. Dave, CJ) This is a public interest litigation wherein it has been submitted that shifting of a Police Station from Pagidyala, Karimnagar District to Nandikotkur Town of the same District is arbitrary and illegal. In pursuance of notice issued by this court, learned Government Pleader has appeared and submitted that for administrative reasons the Police Station was shifted from Pagidyala to Nandikotkur Town. It was the case of the learned Advocate for the petitioner that because of shifting of the Police Station, there was no Police personnel at Pagidyala village. The learned Government Pleader had fairly submitted that the said averment was correct, and, therefore, this court wanted to know whether any alternative arrangement was being made by the Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh. During the pendency of this petition, the Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh – Respondent No.2 herein, has taken a decision to have a Police outpost, at Pagidyala, on 08-12-2008 and in pursuance of the said decision taken by him, a Police outpost at Pagidyala has already been established and it has started functioning with effect from 09-12-2008. It is for the administrative authorities to decide as to where Police Station should be established. In view of the fact that, looking to the need of the people, a Police outpost has already been established at Pagidyala, in our opinion, it cannot be said that the respondent authorities are acting in an illegal manner. The petition is, therefore, rejected. __________________ ANIL R. DAVE, CJ. _______________________ R. SUBHASH REDDY, J. December 11, 2008 MRR