APHC010002632024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3329] FRIDAY ,THE TWENTY FOURTH DAY OF JANUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA WRIT PETITION NO: 385/2024 Between: Shaik Afrin, and Others ...PETITIONER(S) AND The State Of Andhra Pradesh and Others ...RESPONDENT(S) Counsel for the Petitioner(S): 1. SURESH KUMAR REDDY KALAVA Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. E V JAGANNADHA RAO (SC FOR AP STATE HOUSEING COOP LTD) 2. GP FOR REVENUE (AP) 3. GP FOR FINANCE PLANNING (AP) The Court made the following: O R D E R 1. The petitioner had been awarded various contract works in Annamayya District. After execution of the said contracts, final bills were prepared for a sum total of Rs.22,85,594/- as per the sanctioned orders. As the payment of the said amount has not been made by the respondents, the petitioner has approached this Court by way of this writ petition. 2. It is the contention of the petitioner that even though the respondents admitted that the petitioner is entitled for payment of the aforesaid sum of money, no payment is being made. The petitioner contends that such non- payment of money is clearly arbitrary and high-handed requiring the interference of this Court. 3. This Court, in various orders, including the judgment of a learned Single Judge of this Court dated 05.10.2021 in W.P.No.10038 of 2021 and batch had taken the view that such non-payment of dues is arbitrary and that such dues need to be cleared by the respondents at the earliest. 4. On the other hand, written instructions of the Managing Director, A.P. State Housing Corporation Limited vide Note.No.L1/753/2024 dated 16.12.2024 has been filed by learned Standing Counsel admitting about the claim of the petitioner. He would submit that, since the budget was not released by the Government, the bills were not paid to the petitioner. Soon after release of the budget by the Government, the bills will be paid to the petitioner. 5. In view of the aforesaid directions of this Court in various cases and after hearing the submissions of learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Government Pleader for Irrigation this Writ Petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to release the amount of Rs.22,85,594/- to the petitioner along with the interest @ 6% per annum, in view of the judgment of the Hon’ble Division Bench of this Court in Writ Appeal No.724 of 2021 and batch dated 12.10.2023, within a period of two (02) months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It would also be open to the petitioner to agitate his claim for higher rate of interest, if any payable by the respondents, in an appropriate forum. There shall be no order as to costs. 6. Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in this Writ Petition shall stand closed. ________________________________ VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA, J 24.01.2025 SP THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA WRIT PETITION NO: 19189/2024 24.01.2025 W SP