IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) MONDAY, THE FIRST DAY OF JUNE TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE MS JUSTICE G.ROHINI WRIT PETITION NO : 16839 of 2008 Between: Smt. K. Manjula Devi, W/o. K. Ramesh, Resident of H.No. 2-158, Patancheruvu, Patancheruvu Mandal, Medak District. ..... PETITIONER AND 1 The Principal Secretary, Women Development Child Welfare (WP1) Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad. 2 The Joint Collector, Medak District at Sangareddy 3 The Project Director, District Women & Child Development Agency, Medak District, at Sangareddy. 4 The Secretary, Legal Service Authority, Medak District at Sangareddy 5 The Bar Association, Regd. No. 299/1981, Rep by its Secretary, District Court Complex, Sangareddy, Medak District. 6 Smt. V. Manjula, W/o. L. Veera Arjuna Reddy, H.No. 5-1-1/3/1, Shanti Nagar, Sangareddy, Medak District. .....RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Affidavit filed herein the High Court will be pleased to to issue a writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the respondents 1 to 5 in not appointing the petitioners counselor to work in the office of the 3rd respondent for the welfare of women and to counsel them and to attend domestic violence cases under the protection of women from domestic violence Act in district/sub courts and also appointing 6th respondent for the said purpose as the same is arbitrary and illegal and to pass such other suitable orders. Counsel for the Petitioner: MR.S.SUDARSHAN Counsel for the Respondents: GP FOR WOMEN DEV. & CHILD WELFARE Mr.K. Raji Reddy GP for Revenue Mr. M.V.S. Prasad The Court made the following : THE HON'BLE MS JUSTICE G.ROHINI WRIT PETITION NO : 16839 of 2008. O R D E R : The writ petition is filed seeking a declaration that the action of Respondent Nos.1 to 5 in not appointing the petitioner as a counsellor to assist in the Office of the Project Director, District Women and Child Development Agency, Medak district at Sanga Reddy, for effective implementation of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act as arbitrary and illegal. Heard the learned counsel for both the parties and perused the material on record. As could be seen from the material on record, the first respondent issued GO.Rt.No.220, Women Development Child Welfare and Disabled Welfare (WP-1) Department, dated 21-8- 2007 sanctioning certain staff for Directorate of Women Development and Child Welfare and Project Directors in all the Districts in the State as supporting staff for effective implementation of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. As per the above said order, two counsellors were sanctioned on payment of Rs.6,500=00 per month as honorarium. Pursuant thereto, so far as Medak district is concerned, the sixth respondent, who is a practicing advocate was appointed as one of the counsellors. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioner who is also a practicing advocate filed the present writ petition seeking a declaration that the appointment of the sixth respondent ignoring the claim of the petitioner in spite of th fact that she has twelve years of standing in the bar is arbitrary and illegal. At the outset it is to be noted that the appointment of the supporting staff for effective implementation of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act is not governed by any statutory provisions and therefore, it is not open to the petitioner to challenge the appointment of the sixth respondent by invoking extraordinary jurisdiction of this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution. Moreover the impugned appointment of the sixth respondent in terms of GO.Rt.No.220, Women Development Child Welfare and Disabled Welfare (WP-1) Department, dated 21-8- 2007, is only for a period of one year, which expired long back. Hence, the interference by this Court is unwarranted and accordingly the writ petition is dismissed. No costs. ________________ JUSTICE G.ROHINI 01-6-2009. I s L