^. APHC010142692022 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) WEDNESDAY,THE THIRD DAY OF SEPTEMBERlo TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE KIRANMAYEE MANDAVA WRIT PETITION NO: 7881 OF 2022 Between: T Lakshmi Devi, aged 43 yrs W/o Late T.Valli Rao R/o D.No. 18/88-82, Mahabuba Nagar Guntakal, Anantapuram District- 515801 ...Petitioner AND 1. The State of Andhra Pradesh,. Department of Irrigation and CAD Secretariat Complex, Velagapudi Amaravathi rep by its Principal Secretary 2. The Commissioner, Department of Irrigation and CAD Gollapudi, Vijayawada 3. The District Collector, Anantapuramu District 4. The Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department, D.C.Division H.L.C.Colony, Anantapuramu 5. The Tahsildar, GuntakalMandal Anantapuramu District 6. T Devi Bai, r/o Pakkirappa Colony Near Satyanarayana Pet, Guntakal Anantapuramu District-515801 ...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 a writ of mandamus declaring the action of the 2nd respondent in releasing the pension and death benefits of my husband T.Valli Rao, Superintendent, Irrigation Department, Anantapuramu in favour of the 6th respondent as illegal and arbitrary besides violative of petitioner's rights guaranteed under Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India and consequently direct the respondents to release the benefits in favour of the petitioner who is the legal wedded wife of the said Valli Rao. pension and death lA NO: 1 OF 2022 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased direct the respondents not to release to pension and death benefits or any other benefits of my husband T.Valli Rao, Superintendent, Irrigation Department, Anantapuramu in favour of the 6th respondent pending disposal of the writ petition. Counsel for the Petitioner: SRI HARISH KUMAR RASINENI Counsel for the Respondent No.1: GP FOR REVENUE Counsel for the Respondent Nos.2 to 5; GP FOR IRRIGATION Counsel for the Respondent No.6: SRI K V RAGHU VEER The Court made the following order: f 1 APHC010142692022 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3458] WEDNESDAY,THE THIRD DAY OF SEPTEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE KIRANMAYEE MANDAVA WRIT PETITION NO: 7881/2022 Between: 1.T LAKSHMI DEVI, AGED 43 YRS W/0 LATE T.VALLI RAO R/O D.N0.18/88-82, MAHABUBA NAGAR GUNTAKAL, ANANTAPURAM DISTRICT-515801 ...PETITIONER AND 1 .THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, DEPARTMENT OF IRRIGATION AND CAD SECRETARIAT COMPLEX, VELAGAPUDI AMARAVATHI REP BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY 2.THE COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF IRRIGATION AND CAD GOLLAPUDI, VIJAYAWADA 3.THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, ANANTAPURAMU DISTRICT 4.THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, IRRIGATION DEPARTMENT D.C.DIVISION H.L.C.COLONY, ANANTAPURAMU 5.THETAHSILDAR, GUNTAKALMANDAL ANANTAPURAMU DISTRICT 6.T DEVI BAI, R/O PAKKIRAPPA COLONY NEAR SATYANARAYANA PET, GUNTAKAL ANANTAPURAMU DISTRICT-515801 ...RESPONDENT(S); 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 toto issue a writ of mandamus declaring the action of the 2nd respondent in releasing the pension and death benefits of my husband T.Valli 2 Department, Anantapuramu in favour of the 6th respondent as illegal and arbitrary besides violative of guaranteed under Article 14 and 21 consequently direct the respondents to benefits in favour of the petitioner who Valli Rao and pass \A NO: 1 OF 2097 Anantapuramu in favour of the 6th petition and to pass lA NO: 1 OF 2Q2fi Counsel for the Petitioner: 1.HARISH KUMAR RASINENI Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1.K VRAGHU VEER 2.GP FOR SERVICES III 3.GP FOR SERVICES I The Court made the following: ORDER petitioner's rights of the Constitution of India release the and pension and death is the legal wedded wife of the said or any other Superintendent, irrigation Department, respondent pending disposal of the writ Being aggrieved by the action nd of the 2 respondent in releasing pension and death benefits of the petitioner's husband late Sri Valli Rao in favour of the 6*^ respondent, the instant Writ Petition is filed. 3 ft 2. The petitioner claims that her late husband, Sri T. Valli Rao, was an employee in the 2^^ respondent's office, and was earlier married to the unofficial respondent No.6; however, he was not living with the 6^'^ respondent. Thus, he married the petitioner in 2010. Sri Valli Rao, the petitioner'shusband, died on 05.10.2021, while in service. 3. The unofficial respondent No.6, has applied for pension and death benefits. In pursuance thereof, when the official respondents were proposing to release death benefits in favour of the unofficial respondent No.6 the petitioner has approached this Court by way of the instant Writ Petition. The unofficial respondent filed a counter affidavit and relied on 4. the entries in the Service Register. It is stated that the list of family members of late Sri T.Valli Rao, as mentioned in Service Register, contains the name of the unofficial respondent's name and the name of the deceased's mother. It is argued by the learned counsel Sri Raghuveer, that as the 5. name of the writ petitioner and the name of the mother of the deceased is also Lakshmi, the petitioner is taking undue advantage of the same and is claiming the death benefits of the deceased. It is further contended that the writ petitioner is not the legally wedded wife of late Sri T. Valli Rao, and the unofficial respondent and the deceased were living together and were never separated. Having regard to the same, the learned counsel for the unofficial respondent would submit that the petitioner has no legal right to claim pensionary and death benefits of the deceased T Valli Rao. 6. It is further contended that in recognition of the unofficial respondent’s status as the wife of the deceased person, the respondents have also released funeral expenses in favour of the unofficial respondent. 7. It is brought to the notice of the Court respondent dated 14.08.2024, directing the respondent the new pension proposals after finalization petitioner and respondent No.6. the proceedings of the 4^*^ No.6 herein to submit of the disputes between the writ 8. Having regard to the submissions made this Court is not inclined to adjudicate upon the issue as to who is the legally wedded wife of deceased person. However, the considering the entries made in the Service Register of the deceased, since the name of the unofficial respondent is deceased. The respondents pensionary/death benefits in favour of the shown as one of the family members of the therefore at liberty to release the are person(s) whose names are entered in the Service Register as family member(s). The petitioner is at liberty to avail alternate remedies available to her under the law. 9. With the above observation, the Writ Petition There shall be no order as to costs. is disposed of. As a sequel, all pending miscellaneous applications shall stand closed. Sd/- N NAGAMMA ASSISTANT REGISTRAR //TRUE COPY// SECTION OFFICER To, 1. The Principal Secretary, Department of Irrigation Secretariat Complex, Velagapudi Amaravathi. and CAD 2. The Commissioner, Department of Irrigation and CAD Gollapudi, Vijayawada 3. The District Collector, Anantapuramu District 4. The Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department, H.L.C.Colony, Anantapuramu 5. The Tahsildar, Guntakal Mandal Anantapuramu District 6. One CC to SRI. HARISH KUMAR RASINENI Advocate [OPUC] 7. One CC to SRI. K V RAGHU VEER Advocate [OPUC] 8. Two CCs to GP FOR REVENUE High Court of Andhra Pradesh [OUT] 9. Two CCs to GP FOR IRRIGATION High Court of Andhra Pradesh [OUT] D.C.Division 10. Two CD Copies. AL •1^ HIGH COURT DATED:03/09/2025 ORDER WP NO. 7881 OF 2022 rf'-- o; g( 17 OCT 2025 J *s4IiHTentSectio|ix^ m' ^ ‘ DISPOSING OF THE W.P. WITHOUT COSTS