IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) TUESDAY, THE SEVENTH DAY OF JULY TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE V.ESWARAIAH and THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE P.SWAROOP REDDY WRIT PETITION NO : 13339 of 2009 Between: 1 The Director of State Audit, 6th Floor, Insurance Building Complex, Tilak Road, Abids, Hyderabad. 2 The Government of Andhra Pradesh, represented by its Secretary, Finance & Planning Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad. ..... PETITIONER(S) AND Sri K.Janachary, Retired Deputy Director, Local Fund Audit, 4-1-18/1, Old Bazar, M.G.Road, Nalgonda. .....RESPONDENT 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 order or direction more particularly one in the nature of "Writ of Certiorari" calling for the records relating to the orders of the Hon'ble A.P. Administrative Tribunal, Hyderabad passed in O.A.No.1245 of 1998 dated 20.09.1999 as being erroneous, illegal and unreasonable and quash the same. Counsel for the Petitioner: GP FOR SERVICES II Counsel for the Respondent No.: The Court made the following : ORDER: (Per Sri Justice V.Eswaraiah) The Director of State Audit and the Government of Andhra Pradesh represented by its Secretary, Finance & Planning Department, seek to issue writ of Certiorari calling for records relating to the orders of the Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal in O.A.No.1245 of 1998, dated 20.9.1999, as being erroneous and illegal and to quash the same. The applicant/respondent herein filed the O.A.No.1245 of 1998 seeking directions to the petitioners herein to treat him that he is entitled to draw the increments on the normal date of increments without waiting for 12 months consequent on his pay fixation in the Special Grade/Special Adhoc Promotion Scale (i.e. 10/15 years as revised to 8/16/22) under the Automatic Advancement Scheme as extended to the Teachers in accordance with the principles and analogy of pay fixation formula of Teachers in G.O.Ms.No.297, F&P., dated 3.8.1993, with all consequential benefits by holding the action of the petitioners herein in resorting to disturb the pay fixation of the applicant vide proceedings Roc.No.85/L2/98, dated 19.1.1998 read with proceedings Roc.No.3990/174/L2/98, dated 19.2.1998, issued by the Director of Local Fund Audit, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, under the guise of F.R. 31(2) even though the Director of Local Fund Audit has addressed a letter Roc.No.18921/479/L2/95, dated 25.9.1995, to the Government to remove the disparity on the representation of the Service Association as illegal and arbitrary. The Tribunal allowed the said O.A.No.1245 of 1998 by order, dated 20.9.1999, about ten years back. It is stated that pursuant to the said order of the Tribunal a review petition was filed along with an application to condone the delay and the said delay application itself has been dismissed by the Tribunal by order dated 29.4.2009. This order is not questioned. But, this writ petition has been filed questioning the order of the Tribunal dated 20.9.1999 in O.A.No.1245 of 1998 passed ten years ago. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, we are of the opinion that there is any amount of laches on the part of the petitioners in approaching this Court after a lapse of ten years. Therefore, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, we are not inclined to admit the writ petition as the petitioners have approached this Court belatedly. The writ petition is accordingly dismissed. ________________ V.ESWARAIAH, J. ___________________ P.SWAROOP REDDY, J. 7.7.2009 kpr