Date of reserved for orders : Date of pronouncement : Date of uploading : APHC010308932026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3460] WEDNESDAY, THE 24th DAY OF JUNE 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY WRIT PETITION NO: 16434/2026 Between: 1. AJMEERA RAMESH @ AJJIMERA RAMESH, S/O LATE RAMOJI, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, MANDAL SURVEYOR, VIJAYAWADA RURAL MANDAL, RIO D.NO.3/53, SAL NAGAR, GUNTUPALLI, IBRAHIMPATNAM MANDAL, N.T.R. DISTRICT- 521241 ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF AP, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, REVENUE DEPARTMENT (SURVEY, SETTLEMENTS AND LAND RECORDS), SECRETARIAT BUILDING, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI, GUNTUR DISTRICT- 522 238. 2. THE DIRECTOR OF SURVEY, SETTLEMENTS AND LAND RECORDS, MANGALAGIRI, GUNTUR DISTRICT- 522503. 3. THE DISTRICT SURVEY AND LAND RECORDS OFFICER, COLLECTORATE OFFICE, VIJAYAWADA, N.T.R. DISTRICT- 520008. 4. THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR OF SURVEY AND LAND RECORDS, VIJAYAWADA REVENUE DIVISION, SUB- COLLECTORATE OFFICE, VIJAYAWADA, N.T.R. DISTRICT- 2 520008 ...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 a Writ Order or direction more particularly one in the nature of WRIT OF MANDAMUS declaring continuation of the proceedings of the 21 Respondent dt.22-08- 2024, vide REV05/2528661/2024 thereby keeping the Petitioner under suspension as Mandal Surveyor of Vijayawada Rural Mandal, is illegal, arbitrary, unjust, contrary to Rules 8 and 9 of the Andhra Pradesh Civil Services (CCA), Rules 1991, G.O.Ms.No.22 dt.29-02-2024 and law laid down by this Hon'ble Court in several cases and violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 19, 21 of Constitution of India and consequently direct the Respondents to re-initiate the Petitioner into services as Mandal Surveyor of Vijayawada Rural Mandal or any other station with all consequential benefits 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 SUSPEND the operation of the order of 2nd Respondent dt22-08-2024, vide REV05/2528661/2024 by directing the Respondents to re-initiate the Petitioner into service immediately and pas Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. A SYAM SUNDAR REDDY Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR SERVICES I The Court made the following: 3 Date of pronouncement : 24-06-2026 Date of uploading : HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY W.P.No.16434 of 2026 O R DE R: This writ petition is filed declaring continuation of the proceedings of Respondent No.2 dated 22.08.2024 keeping the Petitioner under suspension as illegal and arbitrary. 2. Petitioner was joined as Survey Officer and he was placed under suspension on the allegation that he conspired with two private individuals in order to grab an extent of 2160 square yards situated in R.S.No.87 of Ambapuram Village, belongs to Agrigold company, which was under attachment of the State in Crime No.3 of 2015 of CID, A.P. As part of their conspiracy, the said individuals colluded with the Petitioner who is working as Mandal Surveyor, Vijayawada and Smt. K.Dedeepya, the then Village Surveyor, Ambapuram village and other public servants and obtained survey endorsement rectification deeds of the land in R.S.No.88 changing the R.S.No.88 as 87 belongs to Agrigold company which was under attachment by the Government and thereby caused financial loss to a tune of Rs.1,67,20,000/-. The 4 Government, after conducting regular enquiry, had accorded permission as required under Section 17(a) and Crime No.3 of 2024 was registered under Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018. As the Petitioner was working as Mandal Surveyor and allegedly involved in a criminal conspiracy, he was suspended from service. The said suspension was being renewed from time to time. As more than two years elapsed from the date of suspension, the present writ petition is filed. 3. Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Services-I submits that the suspension of the Petitioner was reconsidered by the Special Chief Secretary to Government, Revenue Department on 03.06.2026 and was continued. 4. Heard Sri A.Syam Sundar Reddy, learned counsel for the Petitioner and Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Services-I for the Respondents. 5. G.O.Ms.No.22, GAD(SER-C) Department, dated 29.02.2024, contemplates review of suspension against Government Servants. As per the said G.O., the outer limit for keeping an individual under suspension is two years and in the 5 special circumstances, the same could be extended beyond the said period. 6. In the instructions given to this Court, nothing exceptional has been pointed out for keeping the individual under suspension for such a long time. Further, long period of suspension is construed to be punishment by itself as held by Hon’ble Supreme Court in O.P. Gupta v. Union of India and others1. 7. Therefore, the writ petition is disposed of directing the Respondents to consider the case of the Petitioner in terms of G.O.Ms.No.22, GAD(SER-C) Department, dated 29.02.2024 afresh taking note of the long period of suspension. No order as to costs. As a sequel, the miscellaneous petitions if any shall stand dismissed. ___________________ NYAPATHY VIJAY, J Date: 24.06.2026 KLP Whether the order is: Speaking Reasoned Reportable Non-reportable 1 1987 (4) SCC 328 6