APHC010633122025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3331] THURSDAY, THE FIFTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE SUBBA REDDY SATTI WRIT PETITION NO: 33117/2025 Between: 1. A HARI KRISHNA REDDY, S/O RAMACHANDRA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, OCC -CONTRACTOR, CHAIRMAN, HWC, M.KOTHAPALLE, CHANDRAGIRI MANDAL, CHITTORE DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, PANCHAYAT RAJ ST RURAL DEVELOPMENT, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR DISTRICT 2. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND PLANNING, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR DISTRICT 3. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR AND CHAIRMAN DISTRICT MINERAL FUND TRUST, TIRUPATHI, TIRUPATHI BALAJI DISTRICT 4. THE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER, PR CIRCLE , TIRUPATHI, TIRUPATHI BALAJI DISTRICT. 5. THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, PRL (PIU) DIVISION, TIRUPATHI, TIRUPATHI BALAJI DISTRICT. 6. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ROADS AND BUILDINGS, TIRUPATHI, TIRUPATHI BALAJI DISTRICT. 2 ...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 to issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ or direction declaring the action of the Respondents not releasing the amount of Rs.9,34,428/- vide M Book No. 9288-C, even after finalizing the bills, payable to the petitioner in relation to the works i.e.. Restoration of Breach for the road from Tirupati - chittor road to Nadimpalli in Chandragiri Mandal of Chittor District, vide Agreement No. /2021-22, dated 06.12.2021 is questioned, as the same is illegal, arbitrary and consequently direct the respondents to pay for payment of amounts of Rs.9,34,428/- vide M Book No. 9288-C with interest @24percentage per annum for the delayed amount to the petitioner in respect of execution of above-mentioned work forthwith and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2025 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 to direct the respondents to pay for payment of amount of Rs.9,34,428/- vide M Book No. 9388-C with interest @24percentage per annum for the delayed amount to the petitioner in respect of execution of works i.e. Restoration of Breach for the road from Tirupati - chittor road to Nadimpalli in Chandragiri Mandal of Chittor District, vide Agreement No. /2021-22, dated 06.12.2021, forthwith, pending disposal of the Writ Petition and pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. M SRI DEVI Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR PANCHAYAT RAJ RURAL DEV 2. GP FOR ROADS BUILDINGS 3. GP FOR REVENUE 4. GP FOR FINANCE PLANNING The Court made the following: 3 ::ORDER :: Heard Ms. Munagala Sridevi, learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri P.Rajesh Kumar, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development & Finance and Planning Department, for the respondents. 2. The above writ petition was filed to declare the action of the respondents in not releasing an amount of Rs.9,34,428/-, payable to the petitioner in relation to the work i.e., restoration of Breach for the road from Tirupati – Chittoor Road to Nadimapalli in Chandragiri Mandal, vide Agreement No…/2021-22 dated 06.12.2021, executed by him as per M.Book No.9288-C, as illegal and arbitrary. 3. Today, when the matter is taken up for consideration, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj, submitted the written instructions of the Executive Engineer, PR Division, Tirupati-5th respondent. 4. A perusal of the said instructions would disclose that the petitioner has executed the aforementioned works and the net amount payable to the petitioner is Rs.9,34,428/-. The written instructions are made as part of the record. 5. Thus, as seen from the instructions there is no dispute regarding the execution of works and the petitioner’s entitlement for Rs.9,34,428/-. Since the amount payable is admitted and undisputed, the writ petition is maintainable. 4 In M/s Utkal Highways Engineers and Contractors v. Chief General Manager & Ors1, it was held at Para No.8 as under: “Be that as it may, the High court has not dealt with the merits of the writ petition. Moreover, it is not an inviolable rule that no money claim can be adjudicated upon in exercise of writ jurisdiction. Non-payment of admitted dues, inter alia, may be considered an arbitrary action on the part of respondents and for claiming the same, a writ petition may lie. Further, throwing a writ petition on ground of availability of alternative remedy after 10 years, particularly, when parties have exchanged their affidavits, is not the correct course unless there are disputed questions of fact which by their very nature cannot be adjudicated upon without recording formal evidence.”. 6. Given the instructions furnished by the Executive Engineer, PR Division, Tirupati-5th respondent, the Writ Petition is disposed of directing the respondents to release an amount of Rs.9,34,428/- (Rupees Nine Lakhs Thirty Four Thousand Four Hundred and Twenty Eight only) payable to the petitioner regarding execution of the aforementioned work, within three (03) months from the date of receipt of the copy of this order. No order as to costs. As a sequel, pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed. ___________________________ JUSTICE SUBBA REDDY SATTI Date: 05.02.2026 SNI 1 2025 SCC online SC 1400 5 183 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE SUBBA REDDY SATTI WRIT PETITION NO: 33117 OF 2025 Date: 05.02.2026 SNI