IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) WEDNESDAY, THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF JULY TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE N.V. RAMANA WRIT PETITION Nos.13877, 13900 and 13901 of 2009 Between: Krishnaveni Junior College, rep. by its Secretary & Correspondent, G. Jagadish S/o. Prakash Rao, R/o. Kothagudem, Khammam District. ..... PETITIONER AND 1 Government of Andhra Pradesh, Department of Rural Development, rep. by its Principal Secretary, Secretariat, Hyderabad. 2 The Chief Executive Officer, Society of Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) Heritage Building, Opp. to Assembly, Near Public Gardens, Hyderabad. 3 District Level Selection Committee, Indira Kranthi Patham-DRDA, A.P.Rural Poverty Reduction Project, rep. by its Chairman, District Collector, Khammam 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 issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ order or orders direction or directions to declare the action of the respondents respondent No.3 to consider the case of the petitioner for being short listed under the Indira Kranthi Patham-DRDA, A.P. Rural Poverty Reduction Project for sponsoring the students for the course of Intermediate with EAMCET Coaching for the Academic Year 2009-2010 as arbitrary unreasonable and unconstitutional and to issue a consequential direction to the respondents to consider the case of the petitioner for being short listed under Indira Kranthi Pathma DRDA, A.P. Rural Proverty Reduction Project for the purpose of sponsoring the students for the course of Intermediate with EAMCET Coaching for the Academic Year 2009-2010. Counsel for the Petitioner: MR.G.V.L.MURHTY Counsel for the Respondents: GP FOR PANCHAYAT RAJ & RURAL DEV. WRIT PETITION NO : 13900 of 2009 Between: New Wave Junior College, Rep. by its President I.Seetha Ramaiah S/o. Rangaiah R/o. Khammam, Khammam District. ..... PETITIONER AND 1 Government of A.P. Rep. by its Principal Secretary Secretariat, Hyderabad. 2 The Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Building Opp: To Assembly, Near Public Gardens, Hyderabad. 3 District Level Selection Committee, Indira Kranthi Patham - DRDA Rep. by its Chairman, District Colelctor, Khammam Distirct. .....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 issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ, order or orders, direction or directions to declare the action of the respondent No.3 herein in not considering the case of the Petitioner for being short listed under the Indira Kranthi Patham - DRDA, A.P.Rural Poverty Reduction Project for sponsoring the students for the course of Intermediate with EAMCET Coaching for the Academic year 2009-2010 as arbitrary, unreasonable and unconstitutional and to issue a consequential direction to the Respondents to consider the case of the Petitioner for being short listed under Indira Kranthi Patham DRDA, A.P.Rural Poverty Reduction Project for the Purpose of sponsoring the Students for the course of Intermediate with EAMCET coaching for the Academic year 2009-2010. Counsel for the Petitioner: MR.G.V.L.MURHTY Counsel for the Respondents: GP FOR PANCHAYAT RAJ & RURAL DEV. WRIT PETITION NO : 13901 of 2009 Between: Sri C.V.Raman Junior College, Rep by its Secretary & Correspondnt, B.Koteswar Rao, S/o. Venkata Ramaiah, Aged 44, R/o. Khammam, Khammam District. ..... PETITIONER AND 1 Government of Andhra Pradesh, Department of Rural Development, Rep by its Principal SEcretary, Secretariat, Hyderabad. 2 The Chief Executive Officer, Society of Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) Heritage Building, Opp: to Assembly, Near Public Gardens, Hyderabad. 3 District Level Selection Committee, Indira Kranthi Patham-DRDA, A.P. Rural Poverty Reduction Collector, Khammam 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 issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ, order or orders, direction or directions to declare the action of the Respondent No.3, herein in not considering the case of the Petitioner for being short listed under the Indira Kranthi Patham-DRDA, A.P. Rural Poverty Reduction Project for sponsoring the students for the course of Intermediate with EAMCET Coaching for the Academic Year 2009-2010 as arbitrary, unreasonable and unconstitutional and to issue a consequential direction to the Respondents to consider the case of the Petitioner for being short listed under Indira Kranthi Patham-DRDA, A.P., Rural Poverty Reduction Project for the purpose of sponsoring the students for the course of Intermediate with EAMCET Coaching for the Academic Year 2009-2010. Counsel for the Petitioner: MR.G.V.L.MURHTY Counsel for the Respondents: GP FOR PANCHAYAT RAJ & RURAL DEV. The Court made the following ORDER: THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE N.V. RAMANA Writ Petition Nos.13877, 13900 and 13901 of 2009 Common Order: The point raised for consideration is same in all the matters and therefore, it is appropriate to dispose of all three writ petitions by a common order. The petitioners in these writ petitions are Educational Institutions. They are aggrieved by the action of the third respondent, namely, District Level Selection Committee, Indira Kranthi Patham – DRDA, A.P. Rural Poverty Reduction Project, Khammam, in not considering their cases for being short listed under Indira Kranthi Patham – DRDA, A.P. Rural Poverty Reduction Project for sponsoring the students for the course of Intermediate with EAMCET Coaching for the academic year 2009-2010. It is alleged that the District Level Selection Committee, which is empowered to short list the eligible Colleges, to which students will be sponsored, is showing bias in favour of the Colleges run by Narayana Educational Institutions and Sri Chaitanya Educational Institutions and are not considering other Colleges under the above mentioned scheme. It is brought to the notice of this Court that in W.P.M.P.No.17023 of 2009 in W.P.No.13134 of 2009 on 03.07.2009, filed by similarly situated Colleges, this Court directed the District Level Selection Committees to receive the applications of the petitioners therein and consider the same in accordance with the prescribed guidelines. At the hearing, the learned Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj & Rural Development submitted that the District Level Selection Committees are not showing any discrimination towards any of the Colleges nor showing any bias in favour of the Colleges run by Narayana Educational Institutions and Sri Chaitanya Educational Institutions. It is also submitted that the last date and the extended time for counselling of the students is over by 15.07.2009. Hence, no orders need be passed in these writ petitions. In view of the submission of the learned Government Pleader that the District Level Selection Committees are not showing any discrimination in short listing the eligible Colleges for being considered under Indira Kranthi Patham – DRDA, A.P. Rural Poverty Reduction Project and that even the extended time for counselling of the students is over, no orders need be passed in these writ petitions. Accordingly, the writ petitions are closed. No costs. ___________________ N.V. RAMANA, J. Date: 15.07.2009 VGB