APHC010427542025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) v'O WEDNESDAY, THE THIRD DAY OF SEPTEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE K. SREENIVASA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO: 21832 OF 2025 Between: Katta Devadanam, S/o. Ramakoti, aged about 51 years, Rentapalla village, Sattenapalli Mandalam, Palnadu District. R/o. 1-166, ...Petitioner AND 1. The State of Andhra Pradesh, Rep. by its Principal Secretary (Minority Welfare) Secretariat buildings, Velagapudi, Amaravathi. 2. Sri Justice Kurian Joseph, The Controller, Andhra Evangelical Luthern Church, Guntur, Guntur district. (Appointed by an order dated 03.04.2025 passed by Hon’ble High Court in WA. No. 1033 of 2023). 3. Sri Joseph P S, The Administrator, Church, Guntur, Guntur district. 4. The Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brodipet, Lodge Center, Guntur, Guntur district. Rep. by its Controller, Sri Justice Kurian Joseph. 5. The District Registrar, Guntur district, Guntur. Andhra Evangelical Lutheran ...Respondents Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated m the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue WRIT OF MANDAMUS or any other appropriate Writ, Order or direction to DECLARE the action of the respondents in not considering my ( th representation dated 18.07.2025 requesting respondent society before going for elections, as illegal, arbitrary, violative of provisions of AP Societies Registration Act, 2001 and contrary to Articles 14, 25 26 of Constitution of India and violative of the order dated 03.04.2025 passed in WA. No. 1033 of 2023 batch cases by Hon’ble Division Bench of this Hon’ble Court and consequently, DIRECT the 2"^ respondent to comply with the provisions of AP Societies Registration Act, 2001 before conducting the elections as directed in the order dated 03.04.2025 passed in WA. No. 1033 of 2023 batch cases by Hon’ble Division Bench of this Hon’ble Court, in the interest of Justice. to register/renew the 4 lA NO: 1 OF 2025 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the writ petition, the High Court may be pleased to grant direct the 2""^ respondent to consider my representation dated 18.07.2025 requesting to register/renew the 4*'" respondent society before going for elections, in the interest of justice. Counsel for the Petitioner: SRI J.V.PHANIDUTH Counsel for the Respondent No.1 : GP FOR SOCIAL WELFARE Counsel for the Respondent Nos.2 to 4 : NONE APPEARED Counsel for the Respondent No.5 : GP FOR STAMPS AND REGISTRATION The Court at the stage of admission made the following order: APHC010427542025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) WEDNESDAY, THE THIRD DAY OF SEPTEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE K SREENIVASA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO: 21832 OF 2025 Between: 1. KATTA DEVADANAM, s/o Ramakoti, aged about 51 years, R/o 1-166, Rentapalla village, Sattenapalli mandalam, Palnadu district. ...Petitioner AND 1. THE STATE OF AP, Rep. by its Principal Secretary (Minority Welfare) Secretariat buildings, Velagapudi, Amaravathi. 2. Sri Justice Kurian Joseph, The Controller, Andhra Evangelical Luthern Church, Guntur, Guntur district. (Appointed by an order dated 03.04.2025 passed by Honble High Court in WA. No. 1033 of 2023). 3. Sri Joseph P S, The Administrator Lutheran Church, Guntur, Guntur district. 4. The Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brodipet, Lodge Center, Guntur, Guntur district. Rep. by its Controller, Sri Justice Kurian Joseph. 5. The District Registrar, Guntur district, Guntur. Andhra Evangelical ...Respondents Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue WRIT OF MANDAMUS or other appropriate Writ, Order or direction to DECLARE the action of the respondents in not considering my representation any SRK, J W.P.No.21832 of 2025 2 dated 18.07.2025 requesting to register/renew the 4TH respondent society before going for elections, as illegal, arbitrary, violative of provisions of AP Societies Registration Act, 2001 and contrary to Articles 14, 25 26 of Constitution of India and violative of the order dated 03.04.2025 passed in WA. No. 1033 of 2023 batch cases by Honble Division Bench of this Honble Court and consequently, DIRECT the 2ND respondent to comply \A/ith the provisions of AP Societies Registration Act, 2001 conducting the elections as directed in the order dated 03.04.2025 passed in WA. No. 1033 of 2023 batch cases by Honble Division Bench of this Honble Court, in the interest of Justice before Counsel for the Petitioner: J.V.PHANIDUTH Counsel for the Respondents: GP FOR SOCIAL WELFARE SRK, J W.P.No.21832 of2025 The Court made the following ORDER: The present Writ Petition has been filed seeking to declare the action of the respondents in not considering the 18.07.2025 made by the petitioner representation dated requesting them to register/renew 4^^^ respondent - Society before illegal and arbitrary and consequently conducting elections, as direct 2"'^ respondent to comply with the provisions of the AP Societies Registration Act. -2001 before conducting the elections as directed by the Division Bench of this Court, vide orders dated 03.04.2025 in WA No.1022 of 2023 and batch counsel for the petitioner and learned Heard learned Assistant Government Pleader for Social Welfare 2. submits that, the Learned counsel for the petitioner petitioner is a member of Rentapalla Lutheran Church, Rentapalla Parish, Sattenapalti Mandal, Palnadu district; he is also Executive of Central Synod of 4‘^ respondent Society: 3. Committee member he is interested in the governing affairs of 4‘'' respondent Society. respondent Society was registered No.2 of 1932-1933 under the earlier Societies He further submits that 4 bearing registration Registration Act, 1860 and the same Societies Registration Act of approximately 1200 over various districts of Andhra Pradesh. Ail the churches and congregations are being organized into six synods. The synods which are further is now governed by the 2001. 4'*^ respondent Society consists churches and 300 congregations spread further divided into several parishes classified as A. B and C according to capacity. According to when three groups are their strength and financial the learned counsel for the petitioner, emerged with conflicting claims, several Writ 'V . I .1 N U.z. I U 4 Petitions were filed before this Court and they were carried in W.A.No.1033 of 2023 and batch. By an order dated 03.04.2025, a Division Bench of this Court appointed 2 Controller of 4*^ respondent Society for the purposes mentioned at para 45 of the said order. Pursuant to the order passed by the Division Bench of this Court, respondent was appointed as Administrator by 2"^ respondent. As registration of 4*^ respondent Society has not been renewed after the year 1962 and the Society is not in existence legally, the petitioner made a representation dated 18.07.2025 requesting 2"^ respondent to get 4*^ respondent Society registered by following the procedure established by law and to bring the bye-laws into force. Grievance of the petitioner is that so far, the said representation has not been considered by 2"^ respondent. Heard. In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case, 2'^^ respondent is directed to dispose of the representation dated 18.07.2025 made by the petitioner herein, in accordance with law, within a period of three (3) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of, at the admission stage. There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in this Writ Petition shall stand closed. nd respondent as 4. 5. 6. SD/-G. HELA NAIDU ASSISTANT REGISTRAR //TRUE COPY// SECTiON OFFICER To, 1. The Principal Secretary (Minority Welfare), State of Andhra Pradesh, Secretariat buildings, Velagapudi, Amaravathi. 2. The District Registrar, Guntur district, Guntur. 3. One CC to Sri J.V.Phaniduth, Advocate [OPUC] 4. Two OCs to GP for Social Welfare, High Court of Andhra Pradesh [OUT] 5. Two CCs to GP for Stamps & Registration, High Court of Andhra Pradesh [OUT] 6. Two CD Copies Cnr HIGH COURT DATED:03/09/2025 ORDER WP NO. 21832 OF 2025 DISPOSING OF THE W.P. AT THE STAGE OF ADMISSION WITHOUT COSTS