THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.24478 of 2011 ORDER: The petitioner was appointed as Engineering Consultant by the Project Director, District Water Management Agency, Kurnool, respondent No.2 herein, under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for Rudravaram Mandal for a period of two years on contract basis. Through proceedings, dated 29.07.2011, respondent No.2 terminated the services of the petitioner by citing certain reasons. The petitioner contends that he was not issued any show cause notice, much less any enquiry was contemplated before the impugned order was passed. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned counsel for the respondents. The appointment of the petitioner was no doubt on contractual basis. However, even that, can be terminated only by conducting enquiry and after issuing notice. An endorsement is made in the impugned order to the effect that the petitioner did not submit his explanation. The occasion for the petitioner to submit explanation would arise if only notice was served upon him. The learned Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj, on instructions, submits that the notice could not be served upon the petitioner since his whereabouts were not known. That hardly constitutes a ground to dispense with the mandatory requirement. On this short ground, the writ petition is allowed and the impugned order is set aside. Respondent No.2 shall forthwith reinstate the petitioner. It shall, however, be open to him to take necessary steps in accordance with law by issuing notice to the petitioner. There shall be no order as to costs. _____________________ L.NARASIMHA REDDY,J Dt:09.09.2011. kdl