APHC010348252026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3327] FRIDAY, THE 24th DAY OF JULY 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE K SREENIVASA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO: 18677/2026 Between: 1. Y NAGARATNAMMA, W/O Y. RAMACHANDRA, AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS, OCC . CONTRACTOR, D.NO. 1-82, KURPARTHY, VAYALPAD MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER A N D 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, PANCHAYATRAJ AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI. 522 238 2. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT @ MADANAPALLI. 517 002 3. THE DISTRICT PANCHAYAT OFFICER/SPECIAL OFFICER, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT @ MADANAPALLI . 517001 4. THE MANDAL PARISHAD DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, VALMIKIPURAM MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. 517 299 5. KURAPARTHY GRAM PANCHAYAT, REP. BY ITS PANCHAYAT SECRETARY/EXECUTIVE OFFICER, VALMIKIPURAM MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT 517299 6. THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, P.R. MADANAPALLI, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. 517 325 7. THE DEPUTY EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, IRRIGATION SECTION, VALMIKIPURAM, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. 517 299 8. THE ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, IRRIGATION SECTION, VALMIKIPURAM, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. 517 299 9. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND PLANNING, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 522 238 ...RESPONDENT(S): SRK, J W.P.No.18677 of 2026 2 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 in withholding the payment of Rs. 8,95,991 /- even after finalizing the bills, payable to the petitioner in relation to the work i.e. Do Sitting, Repairs, Revetment and Formation of roads in different villages within the jurisdiction of valmikipuram mandal, Annamayya District is questioned, as the same is illegal, arbitrary and consequently direct the respondents to consider for payment of amount Rs. 8,95,991/- with interest @12percent per annum for the delayed amount to the petitioner in respect of execution of above-mentioned work forthwith 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 lease to direct the respondents to consider for payment of Rs. 8,95,991/- with interest @12% per annum for the delayed amount to the petitioner in respect of execution of work i.e. Do Sitting, Repairs, Revetment and Formation of roads in different villages within, the,Jurisdicti on of valmikipuram mandal, Annamayya District pending disposal of the Writ Petition and pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. SURESH KUMAR REDDY KALAVA Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR PANCHAYAT RAJ RURAL DEV 2. Mattegunta.Sudhir, Standing Counsel For Z.P.Ps,M.P.Ps,Gram Panchayats 3. GP FOR FINANCE PLANNING The Court made the following: SRK, J W.P.No.18677 of 2026 3 O R D E R This Writ Petition is filed seeking the following relief: “….to issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ or direction declaring the action of the respondents in withholding the payment of Rs.8,95,991/- even after finalizing the bills, payable to the petitioner in relation to the work i.e. Do Sitting, Repairs, Revetment and Formation of roads in different villages within the jurisdiction of Valmikipuram Mandal, Annamayya District is questioned, as the same is illegal, arbitrary and consequently, direct the respondents to consider for payment of amount Rs.8,95,991/- with interest @ 12% per annum for the delayed amount to the petitioner in respect of execution of above mentioned work forthwith 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 to 3 and 6, learned Standing Counsel for Gram Panchayat, representing respondent Nos.4 and 5, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Irrigation Section, representing respondent Nos.7 and 8 and the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Finance and Planning, representing respondent No.9. 3. The Writ Petitioner claims to be a Civil Contractor. The respondent Nos.5 and 6 assigned the works of Do Sitting, Repairs, Revetment to Peddavanka Kalava of Kuraparthi Village, Chinnakunta of Kuraparthi Village and Formation of roads in Thangella Gutta to SRK, J W.P.No.18677 of 2026 4 Gangammagudi of Kuraparthi, Nimmanapalle Border to Kuraparthy. The Writ Petitioner executed the works within time and the respondent Nos.5 to 8 inspected the works, took over the records and prepared bills, but kept pending the same and did not release the final bill amount till date. Though the Writ Petitioner completed the assigned contract works within time, an amount of Rs.8,95,991/- was kept pending by the respondent authorities. Even though the Writ Petitioner approached the respondent authorities on multiple occasions, requesting for payment of pending bill amount of Rs.8,95,991/-, they are not paying the said amount. According to Writ Petitioner, having executed the works 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. Today when the matter is taken up for hearing, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, on written instructions received from the District Gram Panchayat Officer, Annamayya District-respondent No.3, submits that the Writ Petitioner executed the works in the year 2023 under the Central Government Scheme of „National Food for Work Programme‟, SRK, J W.P.No.18677 of 2026 5 but the Writ Petitioner did not make any application/representation before the Gram Panchayat or the Mandal Praja Parishad Office regarding payment of bills due to her. He further submits that the Gram Panchayat submitted all the bills pertaining to the said work to the Zilla Praja Parishad, Chittoor through the Mandal Praja Parishad Office, and the Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Praja Parishad, Chittoor is the competent authority to upload and process the bills for payment, and the Gram Panchayat has no authority to upload the bills. The written instructions are placed on record. 5. A perusal of the written instructions goes to show that there is no dispute with regard to execution of subject works by the Writ Petitioner, and even as per the respondent No.3, the Writ Petitioner is entitled the net amount as per the works done by her. Therefore, since the amount payable to the Writ Petitioner, is admitted and undisputed, the Writ Petition is maintainable. In M/s. Utkal Highways Engineers and Contractors v. Chief General Manager & Ors.1, it was held as under: (Paragraph No.8) “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 1 2025 SCC OnLine SC 1400. SRK, J W.P.No.18677 of 2026 6 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. Having regard to the entire facts and circumstances of the case, the respondent authorities are directed to pay the net amount/admitted amount to a tune of Rs.8,95,991/- (Rupees Eight Lakhs Ninety Five Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety One only) to the Writ Petitioner within a period of Six (6) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 7. 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 24th July, 2026. DNB Whether the Order is: Speaking ✓ Reasoned Reportable Non-reportable ✓