THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V. NAGARJUNA REDDY WRIT PETITION No. 34510 of 1997 Dated: 04.04.2007 Between: National Senior Basic Aided Upper Primary School. … Petitioner AND State of Andhra Pradesh, rep, by its Secretary to Government, School Education Department, Secretariat Buildings, Hyderabad & another. … Respondents Counsel for the petitioner : None Counsel for the respondents : Government Pleader for School Education THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V. NAGARJUNA REDDY WRIT PETITION No. 34510 of 1997 ORDER:- This writ petition is filed for a writ of mandamus to declare the action of the 2nd respondent in transferring four aided posts of teachers from the petitioner’s school to another school during the course of academic year 1997-98 as arbitrary, unjust, unfair and for a consequential direction to the 2nd respondent to withdraw the said action. The petitioner is an aided school with a sanctioned strength of 10 Secondary Grade Teachers (for short “SGT”), 2 B.Ed., Assistants and 1 Hindi Pandit. On 04.09.1997, the Deputy Inspector of Schools, Urban Range, Rajahmundry visited the school and found the number of students, who attended different classes as under: “ Attendance Roll Long Absentees 1st to V classes 143 459 184 VI class 15 56 22 VII class 24 44 20” On the basis of the report submitted by the Deputy Inspector of Schools, Rajahmundry, which revealed that there was considerable reduction in the strength of the students with about 50% of the pupils being absent regularly, a decision was taken to reduce the number of SGT posts to 7 as against 10, which were existing earlier. In addition to that one post of PV-I (Craft Instructor) was also withdrawn and they were transferred to another needy institution. In the counter-affidavit filed by the District Educational Officer, the 2nd respondent sought to justify this action by stating that taking into consideration the teacher pupil ratio, action was taken to reduce the number of strength of the teachers. Learned counsel for the petitioner is called absent. Learned Assistant Government Pleader for School Education made her submissions. From the averments contained in the counter-affidavit and the contentions advanced by the learned Assistant Government Pleader, I am satisfied that the action of the respondents in withdrawing four teachers from the petitioner’s school is taken on the basis of the reduction in the strength of the students on account of long absenteeism of the students and therefore this action does not call for any interference by this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. For the aforementioned reasons, the writ petition is dismissed. No costs. _____________________________ C.V. NAGARJUNA REDDY, J Date: 04.04.2007 ES