APHC010085832026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3208] WEDNESDAY,THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH WRIT PETITION NO: 4712/2026 Between: 1. G V HANUMANTHU RAO, S/O G. VENKATESWARULU, AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, WORKING AS SENIOR ASSISTANT, OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS AND HEAD OF FOREST FORCE, ARANYA BHAVAN, MANGALAGIRI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, FOREST, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 2. THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS, AND HEAD OF FOREST FORCE, STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH ARANYA BHAVAN, MANGALAGIRI,GUNTUR DISTRICT. 3. THE ADDITIONAL PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS ADMIN, OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS AND HEAD OF FOREST FORCE, STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, ARANYA BHAVAN, MANGALAGIRI,GUNTUR DISTRICT ...RESPONDENT(S): The Court made the following ORDER: 1. This Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following relief: “to issue an appropriate writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature in WRIT of MANDAMUS aggrieved by the action of the Respondent in not considering Petitioner's case for promotion to the post of Administrative Officer/ Superintendent as per his seniority on the ground of pendency of Articles of Charges in proceedings vide Ref.No. EFS02- 19021/16/2024/Vig-1 Dated 01.03.2024 of Office of the Principal Chief Conservator Of Forest and Head of Forest Force Department of 2nd Respondent in respect of alleged incident in the year of 2018 without finalizing the departmental proceedings even after issuing notices and inspite of instructions issued by the Government and inspite of the Hon'ble Division Bench judgement passed in WA No.550 of 2022 and relying upon G O Ms No 257 GAD in the existing clear vacancy as highly illegal, unjust, arbitrary and contrary to law and violations of Principles of Natural Justice and contrary Articles 14, 16 and 21 of Constitution of India and consequently direct the Respondents to forthwith consider Petitioners case promotion to next level cadre post of Administrative officer/ Superintendent as per GC Ms No 257 General Administration (SER.C) Director Dated 10.6.1999 and as per law without referring the pending Departmental proceedings vide Ref.No. EFS02-19021/16/2024/Vig-1 Dated 01.03.2024 of office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Head of Forest Force Department of 2nd Respondent and to pass…. 1. 1. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for the respondents. 2. The case of the petitioner is that the respondents have not considered his case for promotion to the post of Administrative Officer/Superintendent, as per his seniority, on the ground of pendency of Articles of Charges in proceedings vide Ref. No. EFS02- 19021/16/2024/Vig-1, dated 01.03.2024, on the file of the Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, Department of the 2nd respondent, in respect of an alleged incident of the year 2018, without finalizing the departmental proceedings even after issuance of notices, and in spite of the instructions issued by the Government as well as the judgment of the Hon’ble Division Bench in W.A. No. 550 of 2022, and while relying upon G.O. Ms. No. 257, GAD, despite the existence of clear vacancies, is highly illegal and arbitrary. 3. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that, in view of the pendency of the ongoing departmental proceedings, which ought to have been completed within three months in simple cases and within six months in complicated cases, as per the time-frame prescribed in G.O. Ms. No. 679, General Administration (Services-C) Department, dated 01.11.2008, and G.O. Ms. No. 91, General Administration (Services-C) Department, dated 12.09.2022, the inordinate delay in concluding the proceedings has resulted in the petitioner being deprived of his rightful consideration for promotion. 4. Learned Assistant Government Pleader appearing for respondents that the ongoing inquiry will be completed within reasonable time, in terms of timelines prescribed by the Government in G.O.Ms.No.679, General Administration (Services-C) Department dated 01.11.2008, and in G.O.Ms.No.91, General Administration (Service-C) Department, dated 12.09.2022. 5. In view of the above observations, the respondents are directed to consider the case of the petitioner for promotion to the post of Administrative Officer/Superintendent, without reference to the disciplinary proceedings in pursuance of the charge memo vide charge memo Ref. No.EFS02-19021/16/2024/Vig-1, dated 01.03.2024. It is further directed that the respondents shall complete the pending enquiry within a period of three (03) months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 6. With the above directions, the Writ Petition is disposed of There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in the writ petition shall stand closed. ________________________ JUSTICE D RAMESH 18.02.2026 klk 38 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH WRIT PETITION NO: 4712/2026 18.02.2026 klk