APHC010425662025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3331] TUESDAY, THE TENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE SUBBA REDDY SATTI CONTEMPT CASE NO: 2224/2025 Between: 1. E. SARITHA, D/O.VENKATESWARLU, AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION OFFICER, KADAPA MANDAL AND DIVISION, YSR DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH. 2. T.SUNITHA, D/O. OBUL SUBBA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION OFFICER, RAYACHOTY MANDAL AND DIVISION, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH. ...PETITIONER(S) AND 1. S DILLI RAO IAS, Director of Agriculture, O/o Commissioner and Director of Agriculture, Old Mirchi Yard, Nallapadu Road, Chuttugunta, Guntur Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh 522 004 ...CONTEMNOR Petition under Sections 10 to 12 of Contempt of Courts Act 1971 praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit file herein the High Court may be pleased to summon the respondent and punish him for committing contempt of orders of this Hon'ble Court passed in I.A No.1 of 2024 in W.P.No.25049 of 2024 dated 05-11-2024 passed by this Hon'ble Court under section 10 to 12 of Contempt of Courts Act and grant p. 2 Counsel for the Petitioner(S): 1. KAVITHA GOTTIPATI Counsel for the Contemnor: 1. RAMALINGESWARA RAO KOCHARLA KOTA The Court made the following: ORDER Heard Smt.Kavitha Gottipati, learned counsel for the petitioners and Sri K.Ramalingeswara Rao, learned counsel for the respondent. 2. The above contempt case is filed complaining violation of the interim order dated 05.11.2024 in I.A.No.1 of 2024 in W.P.No.25049 of 2024. 3. The petitioners filed the aforementioned writ petition challenging the Memo No.AII(3)1930390/2023 dated 28.10.2024 issued by the 2nd respondent therein calling for record sheets of Agricultural Extension Officers to issue next higher promotion to the post of Agriculture Officers in Zone IV without considering the candidature of the petitioners on par with others who are promoted on 31.12.2022, as illegal and arbitrary. 4. An interim order was granted on 05.11.2024 directing the respondents to reserve two posts in the cadre of AO in Zone-IV pending further orders. 5. In the affidavit filed in support of the contempt case, it was pleaded that the contemnor issued proceedings vide Rc.No.AII(3) Transfers/Zone-IV/2025 dated 09.06.2025 and filled up the two posts in p. 3 general transfers, which were reserved pursuant to the interim order passed by this Court. 6. Learned counsel for the petitioners would submit that the respondent violated the interim order deliberately and intentionally. 7. A counter affidavit was filed by the respondent. It was contended that vide Memo No.AII(3)2624700/2024, dated 12.12.2024, the petitioners were informed about the compliance of the interim order. Later, those two posts were filled up in general transfers due to administrative reasons as per the guidelines issued vide G.O.Ms.No.23 dated 15.05.2025. Speaking orders were issued to the petitioners vide Memo No.AII(3)2624700/2024 dated 24.08.2025, that two vacancies of Agricultural Officers in Zone-IV are kept in reserve, as and when the seniority of the petitioners reaches under the zone of consideration, they will be accommodated. In the seniority list, the petitioners stood at serial Nos.46 & 49 and 15 more eligible candidates are about the petitioners. 8. Learned counsel for the respondent would submit that as per the Memo dated 24.08.2025, two vacancies of Agricultural Officers in Zone- IV are kept in reserve, as and when the seniority of the petitioners reaches under the zone of consideration, they will be accommodated. 9. Thus, as seen from the Memo dated 12.12.2024, two Agricultural Officers of Zone-IV i.e. (1) AO(TA), O/o DAO, Rayachoty, Annamayya District and (2) AO(TA), O/o. ADA®, L.R.Palli, Annamayya District, were kept in reserve. As seen from the recitals of the Memo, it was observed that the above-referred posts were kept in reserve and as and when the seniority of the petitioners reaches under the zone of consideration, they will get in turn. No doubt, these two posts were filled up during the p. 4 general transfers; however, by issuing another Memo dated 24.08.2025, the petitioners were informed that the aforementioned Agricultural Posts are kept in reserve and the petitioners will be accommodated as and when their seniority reaches under the zone of consideration. 10. Thus, given the Memo dated 24.08.2025, the respondent has not violated the interim order dated 05.11.2024 in I.A.No.1 of 2024 in W.P.No.25049 of 2024, and hence, the contempt case is liable to be dismissed. 11. Accordingly, the Contempt Case is Dismissed. No order as to costs. As a sequel, pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed. __________________________ JUSTICE SUBBA REDDY SATTI PVD