APHC010253282024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3328] THURSDAY ,THE FIRST DAY OF MAY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE GANNAMANENI RAMAKRISHNA PRASAD WRIT PETITION NO: 12688/2024 Between: 1. JOSEPH SRIHARSHA AND MARY INDRAJA EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY,, REPRESENTED BY ITS HON. CHAIRMAN AND CORRESPONDENT, DR. REV. K.V.K. RAO.PLOT NO.102, HIGH COURT COLONY, VANASTHALIPURAM,HYDERABAD, 2. ST. MARYS GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS GUNTUR FOR WOMEN, REP. BY ITS HON. CHAIRMAN AND CORRESPONDENT DR. REV. K.V.K. RAO. CHEBROLU VILLAGE, CHEBROLUMANDAL, GUNTUR DISTRICT-522212, 3. ST. MARYS WOMENS ENGINEERING COLLEGE,, REP. BY ITS HON. CHAIRMAN AND CORRESPONDENT DR. REV. K.V.K. RAO. BUDAMPADU, GUNTUR-522017 4. DR. REV. K.V.K. RAO,, S/O. LATE VENKAIAH AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS, OCC EDUCATIONIST, PLOT NO.102, HIGH COURT COLONY, VANASTHALIPURAM, HYDERABAD - 500 070. ...PETITIONER(S) AND 1. THE UNION OF INDIA, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION REP. BY ITS SECRETARY, SANSADMARG, NEW DELHI. 2. THE UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION, REP. BY ITS SECRETARY BAHADUR SHAH ZAFARMARG, NEW DELHI. 2 3. JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY KAKINADA, REP. BY ITS REGISTRAR. KAKINADA-533003, ...RESPONDENT(S): Counsel for the Petitioner(S): 1. SRICHARAN TELAPROLU Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. I MADHU BABU (SC FOR JNTU KAKINADA) 2. DEPUTY SOLICITOR GENERAL OF INDIA 3. TENEPALLI NIRANJAN ( SC FOR CENT GOVT) ) The Court made the following ORAL ORDER: Heard Sri Sricharan Telaprolu, learned Counsel for the Writ Petitioners and Sri D. Praveen, learned Counsel appearing on behalf of Sri T. Niranjan, learned Central Government Counsel appearing for Respondent Nos.1 & 2. 2. Learned Counsel for the Writ Petitioners has drawn the attention of this Court to the Proceedings issued by the Under Secretary of the U.G.C to the Registrar, J.N.T.U, Kakinada dated 18.12.2024 & 30.01.2025. The said Proceedings would indicate that the Writ Petitioners’ Colleges have been included in the list of Colleges prepared under Section 2(f) of the U.G.C Act, 1956 under the Head ‘Non-Government Colleges teaching upto Master’s Degree’. The Proceedings of the Under Secretary have been filed by the Writ Petitioners through a Memo. The same is taken on record. 4. Having regard to the fact that the Official Respondents have already issued the Proceedings under Section 2(f) of the U.G.C Act, 1956, this Court deems it appropriate to dispose of this Writ Petition with a direction to the Writ Petitioners to submit a fresh Application for grant of autonomous status under the University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status Upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations, 2023. Upon receipt of such Application from the Writ 3 Petitioners, needless to state that the Official Respondents shall decide the same on merit in accordance with law and pass a Speaking Order as expeditiously as possible, in any case, within six weeks, and communicate the copies of the Offical Proceedings to the Writ Petitioners forthwith. The Writ Petitioners are directed to submit the fresh Applications within a period of one week from today. Needless to state that the Official Respondents are statutorily obligated to adhere to the Principles of Natural Justice by issuing Advance Notice to the Writ Petitioners and consider their submissions before passing the Final Order. 5. With these observations and directions, this Writ Petition stands disposed of. No order as to costs. 6. Interlocutory Applications, if any, stand closed in terms of this order. ______________________________________ GANNAMANENI RAMAKRISHNA PRASAD, J Dt: 01.05.2025 JKS 4 40 HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE GANNAMANENI RAMAKRISHNA PRASAD WRIT PETITION No. 12688 OF 2024 01.05.2025 JKS