1 APHC010213392026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3208] MONDAY,THE FOURTH DAY OF MAY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH WRIT PETITION NO: 11652/2026 Between: 1. SIDDE GOVINDA RAO, S/O APPALA NAIDU, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/O H.NO.4-42, GOLLAPALEM POST, SABBAVARAM MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 2. DODDI VENKATA NARASIMHA NAIDU,, S/O DODDI KURMAVARTHAR, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, R/O H.NO.3- 81, MUNAGAPAKA MANDAL, NEAR YALIMENTRI SCHOOL, T.SIRASAPALLE THOTADA, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 3. BANDARU VENKATA RAMANA, S/O DEMUDU, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, R/O H.NO.1-1-22, RAJUPALEM, VALLUR, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 4. B.P.N.V.R. MOHAN,, S/O VENU, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, R/O D.NO.1-12, RAJUPALEM, VALLUR, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 5. RANGOLI GANGU NAIDU,, S/O SUBBA RAO, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/O TAWAVANIPALEM, SABBAVARAM MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 6. BOKKAM JAGANNADHAM,, S/O DEMUDU, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, R/O TAWAVANIPALEM, SABBAVARAM 2 MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 7. MANDAKA SURYA APPA RAO,, S/O APPA RAO, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/O H.NO.5-26, RAMALAYAM STREET, MUNAGAPAKA MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 8. KANDIREGULA SURYA NARAYANA, , S/O GANGU NAIDU, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, R/O H.NO.5-26, RAMALAYAM VEEDHI, GAVARLA, ANAKAPALLI VILLAGE, MUNAGAPAKA, NIDANAM, DODDI, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 9. BOBBARI NARSING RAO,, S/O RAMULU, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, R/O H.NO.7-85, PARAWADA MANDAL, PEDAMUSIDIVADA, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 10. NADUPURI RAMANA RAO,, S/O ADINARAYANA, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, R/O H.NO.10-100, SC COLONY, RAMBILLI MANDAL, DIMILI, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 11. POJARI APPADU,, S/O SIMHACHALAM, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/O H.NO.8-100, PUJARI VEEDHI, PARAVADA MANDAL, LANKELAPALEM, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 12. SUNKARA BABU RAO,, S/O APPALA NAIDU, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, R/O H.NO.1-89A, REBAKA, ANAKAPALLI MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 13. MOYYETI RAMA KRISHNA DURGA RAO,, S/O GANGARAJU, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, R/O H.NO.5-10, SABBAVARAM VILLAGE AND TOWN, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 14. EEGALA VENKATA RAMANA,, S/O PAIDIYYA, AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS, R/O H.NO.1-23, AMMULAPALEM POST, SABBAVARAM MANDAL, VTC NARAPADU, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 15. KANGUDDI APPALANAIDU,, S/O SIMACHALAM, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, R/O H.NO. 1-358, CHINNA VANGALI, 3 LEKKALAPALEM POST, SABBAVARAM MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 16. NATTALA APPA RAO,, S/O MARAYYA, AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS, R/O H.NO.2-28, RAYAPURA AGRAHARAM, BANGARAMMAPALEM POST VTC SABBAVARAM, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 17. RAPETI JAGGA RAO,, S/O RAMUNAIDU, AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS, R/O ARIPAKA GRAM PANCHAYAT, SABBAVARAM MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 18. YALLAPU MAHALAKSHMI,, S/O MASODU, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/O H.NO.3-123, BODUVALASA, SABBAVARAM MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 19. AKKIREDDY CHINNA RAO, , S/O PYDITALLI, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/O H.NO.1-125, PYDIVADA AGRAHARAM, SABBAVARAM MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 20. BALIREDDY VENKATA RAMANA,, S/O SADHUBABU, AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, R/O H.NO. 1-51, NAYANAMMAPALEM, SABBAVARAM MANDAL VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 21. SALAPU RAMA RAO,, S/O SIMHACHALAM, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, R/O H.NO.1-86, SALAPUVANIPALEM, THADI, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 22. PATHALOTHU THARA PRABBU NAYAK, , S/O BALAJEE NAYAK, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, R/O 3-231, FLAT NO.301, SIVA SAI TOWERS, AGANAMPUDI, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 23. AGGALA SATISH, S/O GANGAYYA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, R/O H.NO.2-5, REBAKA VILLAGE, ANAKAPALLI MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 4 24. NETIPALLI DEMUDU,, S/O NOOKALU, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, R/O H.NO. 1067, ANTHAKAPALLI, SABBAVARAM MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 25. PENAGANTI RAMANA BABU,, S/O RAMUNAIDU, AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, R/O H.NO.4-4-, GAVARAPETA, NEAR CHINNA RAMAYALAM, AGRAHARAM, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 26. PEELA GOVINDA RAO,, S/O APPALA NAIDU, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, R/O 1-46, SABBAVARAM TOWN, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 27. BODDEDA SREERAMULU,, S/O VEERU NAIDU, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/O NEAR, VEERABHADRASWAMY TEMPLE, MUNAGAPAKA MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 28. GANDI TATA BABU,, S/O PYDIM NAIDU, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, R/O H.NO.69-56, GANDIVANIPALEM, BOSURU POST, ATCHUAPURAM, DOSURU, VISAKHAPATNAMDISTRICT. 29. K.V.V. VASUDEVA RAO,, S/O APPA RAO, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, R/O H.NO.24-49/1, GOVINDA COLONY, OPP GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 30. PYLA SANYASI RAO, , S/O KANNAM NAIDU, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS. R/O H.NO.5-91, THANAM, PARAVADA MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 31. LAKKARAJU NARASINGA RAO, , S/O MAHALLAXMI, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, R/O 1-18, DESAPATHNUNIPALEM, PARAVADA MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 32. GORIPUTI NEELAKANTA RAO,, S/O APPA RAO, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, R/O H.NO.5-31, THANAM, PARAVADA MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 5 33. KANTAMREDDI NAGESWARA RAO,, S/O PYDAYYA, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, R/O PALLAPU ANNADAPURAM VISAKHAPTNAM DISTRICT. 34. KOILADA BHASKAR RAO,, S/O KRISHNA RAO, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, R/O H.NO.4-26, GAVARAPETA, ANAKAPALLI MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 35. KANDREGULA RAMAJOGI NAIDU,, S/O THAMU NAIDU, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, R/O H.NO.9-134, MULAPETA, MUNAGAPAKA MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. 36. ARIPAKA APPALA CHARI,, S/O NESTHALU, AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, R/O H.NO.455, KOTHAPALEM, GAJUWAKA MANDAL, PHARMACITY COLONY, AGANAMPUDI, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER(S) AND 1. THE EASTERN POWER DISTRIBUTION COMPANY OF AP LTD, VISAKHAPATNAM, REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR. 2. THE ANAKAPALLI RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD, KASIMKOTA, ANAKAPALLI DISTRICT, REP. BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR. ...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 topleased to issue an appropriate writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the respondents in not paying the Minimum Time Scale of Pay to the petitioners though discharging duties identical to regular employees as Junior Assistants and Junior Field Assistant as illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional and consequently direct the respondents to pay the Minimum Time Scale 6 of Pay attached to the post along with annual increments and all consequential benefits including arrears from the date of engagement and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2026 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 pleased to direct the respondents to pay the Minimum Time Scale of Pay attached to the post along with annual increments and all consequential benefits including arrears from the date of engagement pending disposal of the writ petition and pass Counsel for the Petitioner(S): 1. K R SRINIVAS Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. The Court made the following Order: The present writ petition is filed declaring the action of the respondents in not paying the Minimum Time Scale of Pay to the petitioners though discharging duties identical to regular employees as Junior Assistant and Junior Field Assistant as illegal and arbitrary. 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Government Pleader appearing for the respondents. 7 3. The case of the petitioners is that the petitioners are working as Assistant Linemen in the office of 2nd respondent since 2001, some of the petitioners are working since 1984. As the petitioners are completed more than 25 years, they are entitled for minimum time scale as per the observations made by the Apex Court in State of Punjab vs. Jagjit Singh in Civil Appeal No.213 of 2013 held as follows: “54. There is no room for any doubt, that the principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ has emerged from an interpretation of different provisions of the Constitution. The principle has been expounded through a large number of judgments rendered by this Court, and constitutes law declared by this Court. The same is binding on all the courts in India, under Article 141 of the Constitution of India. The parameters of the principle, have been summarized by us in paragraph 42 hereinabove. The principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ has also been extended to temporary employees (differently described as work- charge, daily-wage, casual, ad-hoc, contractual, and the like). The legal position, relating to temporary employees, has been summarized by us, in paragraph 44 hereinabove. The above legal position which has been repeatedly declared, is being reiterated by us, yet again”. 4. Considering the submissions made by the learned counsel for petitioners, without going into the merits of the case, the Writ Petition is disposed of directing the respondents to consider the case of the petitioners in terms of the observations made by the 8 Apex Court in the aforesaid judgment and pass appropriate orders by extending Minimum Time Scale of pay within a period of two months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel, pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed. ___________________ JUSTICE D.RAMESH Date:04.05.2026 sj 9 91 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D.RAMESH WRIT PETITION NO:11652 of 2026 Dated:04.05.2026 sj