APHC010713822025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3331] WEDNESDAY, THE TWENTY FIFTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE SUBBA REDDY SATTI WRIT PETITION NO: 745/2026 Between: 1. SMT BEJAWADA KUMARI,, W/O LATE RAMBABU, FEMALE, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/OH.NO.3-141, MAIN ROAD. NEAR RAMALAYAM TEMPLE VEERAMPALEM VILLAGE, LAKSHMIPURAM GRAMA PANCHAYAT, PEDAVEGI MANDAL, ELURU DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, PANCHAYAT RAJ AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 2. THE SPECIAL COMMISSIONER, PANCHAYAT RAJ GVW AND VSWS GRAMA WARD VOLUNTEERS AND VILLAGE SECRETARIAT/ WARD SECRETARIAT DEPARTMENT, TADEPALLI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 3. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERP (SOCIETY FOR ELIMINATION OF RURAL POVERTY), VIJAYAWADA, KRISHNA DISTRICT, A.P. 4. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR PANCHAYAT WING, ELURU DISTRICT AT ELURU. 5. THE PROJECT DIRECTOR, DRDA DISTRICT RURAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, ELURU, ELURU DISTRICT p. 2 6. THE MANDAL PARISHAD DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, PEDAVEGI MANDAL, PEDAVEGI, ELURU DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH. 7. LAKSHMIPURAM GRAM PANCHAYAT, REP. BY ITS PANCHAYAT SECRETARY, LAKSHMIPURAM VILLAGE, PEDAVEGI MANDAL, ELURU DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH. ...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, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of WRIT OF MANDAMUS declaring the inaction of respondents more particularly respondents Nos.4 to 7 in granting widow pension / spouse pension to the petitioner consequent upon the death of her husband, on 12.08.2025 (Twelfth day of August Two Thousand Twenty Five), who was a pensioner under pension card No.105851750 of Lakshmipuram Grama / Ward Secretariat, inspite of PGRS applications Nos. ELR202511171640, dated 17.11.2025 and ELR202512011115, dated 01.12.2025, submitted through her sons and simply giving solution letters without solving the issue of pension, though similarly placed persons are granted, is discriminatory, contrary to law, illegal, arbitrary against the principles of natural justice and social security measures undertaken by state besides being violative of Articles 14, 19, 21, r/w Sec.38 and 41 of Constitution of India and direct the respondents to grant the widow / spouse pension to petitioner subject to her eligibility in the ends of justice 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 to direct the respondents Nos.4 to 7 to take steps to grant widow / spouse pension to the petitioner pending this writ petition in the ends of justice and pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. C VENKAIAH Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR PANCHAYAT RAJ RURAL DEV 2. Yarraguntla.Koteswara Rao,Standing Counsel For Zilla Praja p. 3 Parishads,Mandal Praja Parishads and Gra The Court made the following: ::ORDER :: Heard Sri Y. Seetharamanjaneyulu, learned counsel representing Sri Chalasani Venkaiah, learned counsel for the petitioner; Sri Rajesh Kumar, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj, appeared for respondents 1, 2 & 4; Sri Hari Babu, learned Standing Counsel, appeared for respondents 3 & 5 and Sri Chaitanya, learned counsel representing Sri Y. Koteswara Rao, learned Standing Counsel, appeared for respondents 6 & 7. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is a resident of Veerampalem Village, within the limits of Lakshmipuram Gram Panchayat, Pedavegi Mandal, Eluru District. The petitioner’s husband, by name Bejawada Rambabu, died on 12.08.2025, leaving behind the petitioner and three children. The petitioner made an application in the Public Grievance Redressal System before respondent No.4 through sons on 17.11.2025 and 01.12.2025, for the grant of widow/spouse pension. Respondent No.6, by Ex.P1 communication, informed the petitioner that as and when the Government granted a widow's pension, the pension would be given. The Government issued G.O.Ms.No.174, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development (RD.I) Department, dated 13.12.2019, prescribing guidelines for the grant of pensions. However, the pension was not paid to the petitioner. 3. Sri Hari Babu, learned Standing Counsel, would fairly submit that the petitioner is entitled to pension under the cadre of widow/single and the petitioner will be paid pension in terms of G.O.Ms.No.174, dated 13.12.2019. 4. Thus, as seen from the averments made in the affidavit and the submission of learned Standing Counsel, there is no dispute that the husband petitioner died on 12.08.2025 and the petitioner made an application to p. 4 respondent No.4 and the communication sent by respondent No.6 vide Ex.P1 dated 17.11.2025. 5. Given the facts and circumstances of the case, the Writ Petition is disposed of at the stage of admission with the consent of both the learned counsel, directing the respondents 3, 5 & 6 shall ensure the disbursement of pension to the petitioner from January, 2026 onwards, keeping in view of G.O.Ms.No.174 Panchayat Raj and Rural Development (RD.I) Department, dated 13.12.2019. No order as to costs. As a sequel, pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed. ___________________________ JUSTICE SUBBA REDDY SATTI Date: 25.02.2026 TVN p. 5 196 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE SUBBA REDDY SATTI WRIT PETITION NO: 745 of 2026 Date: 25.02.2026 TVN