Date of reserved for orders : - - - Date of pronouncement : 08.07.2026 Date of uploading : 15.07.2026 APHC010243022026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3327] WEDNESDAY, THE 8th DAY OF JULY 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE K SREENIVASA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO: 13037/2026 Between: 1. B CHANDRA SEKAR REDDY, S/O B. GANTIA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, OCC CONTRACTOR, R/O12-6, KAMBALADEVANAPALLI, RAMAKUPPAM, MAHENDRAM, CHITTOOR DISTRICT ...PETITIONER A N D 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT - 522 238. 2. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, FINANCE DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT - 522 238.. 3. THE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER, RWS AND S, CHITTOOR DIVISION, CHITTOOR DISTRICT - 517 001. 4. THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, RWS AND S, CHITTOOR DIVISION, CHITTOOR - 517 001. 5. THE DEPUTY EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, RWS AND S KUPPAM, CHITTOOR DISTRICT - 517 425. 6. THE ASSISTANT ENGINEER, RWS AND S RAMAKUPPAM, CHITTOOR DISTRICT - 517 401. 7. THE NARAYANAPURAM TANDA GRAM PANCHAYAT, REP. BY ITS PANCHAYAT SECRETARY, NARAYANAPURAM TANDA, RAMAKUPPAM MANDAL, CHITTOOR DISTRICT-517 401 8. THE ASSISTANT PAY AND ACCOUNTS OFFICER, CHITTOOR, CHITTOOR DISTRICT - 517 001. ...RESPONDENT(S): Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High SRK, J W.P.No.13037 of 2026 2 Court may be pleased to issue a Writ or Order or a direction more particularly in a nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the Respondents in not releasing the payment of the final bill amount of Rs.4,96,942/- to the petitioner along with interest for the works done by the petitioner in pursuance of agreement entered with the 5 respondent vide agreement dated 06.11.2023 for augumentation of PWS Scheme at Narayanapuram Tanda of Narayanapuram Tanda Gram Panchayat, Ramakuppam Mandal, Chittoor District as illegal, arbitrary and violation of the principles of natural justice and unconstitutional and consequently direct the respondents to release the payment of bill amounts with interest @24 per annum for the delayed amount to the petitioner in respect of execution of the work 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 may be pleased to pass an interim direction pending disposal of the Writ Petition, directing the Respondents to release the final bill amount of Rs.4,96,942/- forthwith payable to the petitioner in relation to the works i.e. augumentation of PWS Scheme at Narayanapuram Tanda of Narayanapuram Tanda Gram Panchayat, Ramakuppam Mandal, Chittoor District, pending disposal of the Writ Petition and pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. K RAGHU VEER Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR PANCHAYAT RAJ RURAL DEV 2. GP FOR FINANCE PLANNING The Court made the following: SRK, J W.P.No.13037 of 2026 3 O R D E R This Writ Petition is filed seeking the following relief: “….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 releasing the payment of the final bill amount of Rs.4,96,942/- to the petitioner along with interest for the works done by the petitioner in pursuance of agreement entered with 5th respondent vide Agreement dated 06.11.2023 for augmentation of PWS Scheme at Narayanapuram Tanda of Narayanapuram Tanda Gram Panchayat, Ramakuppam Mandal, Chittoor District, as illegal, arbitrary and violation of principles of natural justice and unconstitutional and consequently, direct the respondents to release the payment of bill amounts with interest at the rate of 24% per annum from the delayed amount to the petitioner in respect of execution of the work and pass such other order or orders…” 2. Heard learned counsel for the Writ Petitioner, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development representing respondent Nos.1, 3 to 6, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Finance, representing respondent Nos.2 and 8 and learned Standing Counsel for Gram Panchayat, representing respondent No.7. 3. The Writ Petitioner claims to be a Civil Contractor in construction business and undertook multiple construction works, including works entrusted by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The Writ Petitioner entered into an Agreement with 5th respondent vide Agreement dated 06.11.2023 for augmentation of PWS Scheme at SRK, J W.P.No.13037 of 2026 4 Narayanapuram Tanda of Narayanapuram Tanda Gram Panchayat, Ramakuppam Mandal, Chittoor District. The estimated cost was Rs.5.00 lakhs. The Writ Petitioner executed the entire work as per the Agreement, and 6th respondent inspected the quality of the works till the completion of contract work and Quality Control Certificate has also been issued by the respondent authorities on 08.12.2023. The respondent No.5 passed final bills for the work done by the Writ Petitioner, but till date the amount has not been released and delayed without any reason. Though the Writ Petitioner approached the respondent authorities on multiple occasions, requesting for payment of bills for an amount of Rs.4,96,942/-, they are not paying the same. According to Writ Petitioner, having executed the work satisfactorily, within the prescribed time, non-payment of the bill amount was arbitrary and unjustified. It was further contended that the delay in payment is causing severe financial hardship, necessitating the filing of the present Writ Petition seeking appropriate directions for release of the outstanding amount. 4. Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, on written instructions received from the Executive Engineer, RWS&S Division, Chittoor-4th respondent, submits that the Writ Petitioner is entitled to an amount of Rs.4,54,419/- as against the claim amount of Rs.4,96,942/- after statutory deductions SRK, J W.P.No.13037 of 2026 5 such as Seigniorage charges, SGST and CGST etc., aggregating to Rs.42,661/-. She further submits that the Bill was received on 02.03.2024 by the office of 4th respondent, but as there is no budget allocation, the bill was not uploaded in the NIDHI Portal under GGMP Grant. However, with regard to payment due to the Writ Petitioner under the bill for the works done by him, was informed to the Government through the District Collector, Chittoor, and the bill amount for an amount of Rs.4,54,419/- as entitled by the Writ Petitioner would be paid, at the earliest. The written instructions are placed on record. 5. There is no dispute with regard to the works executed by the Writ Petitioner. But with regard to the claim, the Writ Petitioner claims a sum of Rs.4,96,942/-, whereas, according to learned Assistant Government Pleader, as per the written instructions of 4th respondent, the Writ Petitioner is entitled to a sum of Rs.4,54,419/- after statutory deductions to a sum of Rs.42,661/-. In view of the submission made by the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, the respondent authorities are directed to pay the admitted amount of Rs.4,54,419/- (Rupees Four Lakhs Fifty Four Thousand Four Hundred and Nineteen only) to the Writ Petitioner within a period of Six (6) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. SRK, J W.P.No.13037 of 2026 6 6. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs of the Writ Petition. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in this Writ Petition, shall stand closed. JUSTICE K. SREENIVASA REDDY 8th July, 2026. DNB Whether the Order is: Speaking ✓ Reasoned Reportable Non-reportable ✓