APHC010349752026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3460] MONDAY, THE 20th DAY OF JULY 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY WRIT PETITION NO: 18919/2026 Between: Smt. G. Vijaya Lakshmi ...PETITIONER AND The State Of Andhra Pradesh and Others ...RESPONDENT(S) Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. KRANTHI SRI VAKA Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR SERVICES I The Court made the following: 2 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY Writ Petition No. 18919 of 2026 ORDER: 1. The Writ Petition is filed questioning the action of the Respondents in not regularizing the suspension period of the Petitioner’s deceased husband by treating the said period from 02.11.2019 to 06.01.2022 as 'on duty', and to release the terminal benefits to the Petitioner. 2. The husband of the Petitioner, late Sri Guthula Vishnumurthy (hereinafter referred to as “the deceased”), was appointed as a Village Revenue Officer in the Revenue Department. While the deceased was working under Respondent No.6, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him and two others under Rule 20 of the APCS (CCA) Rules, 1991, read with Rule 9 of the APRP Rules, 1980, on the ground that the deceased was involved in a criminal case, and he was consequently placed under suspension with effect from 02.11.2019. 3. During the pendency of Departmental Enquiry, the deceased expired on 01.05.2023 and in view of the same, the Departmental Proceedings were abated. 4. Though the deceased expired on 01.05.2023, the retirement benefits due to the Petitioner are yet to be released. 3 5. The learned Assistant Government Pleader submits that Departmental Proceedings were initiated against the deceased, Sri N. Ramesh, former Tahsildar, and Sri K. Yesuratnam. The deceased expired on 01.05.2023, while Sri K. Yesuratnam passed away on 07.12.2025. 6. In view of the demise of the deceased, proposals were sent to the Government to declare that the departmental proceedings initiated against the deceased and Sri K. Yesuratnam as abated, and to treat the period of suspension of the deceased mentioned above as 'on duty' in terms of Rule 54-B(2). It is further mentioned in the proposals that the disciplinary proceedings initiated against Sri N. Ramesh, former Tahsildar, shall be continued vide independent proceedings and the entire issue is currently seized by the Government. 7. Heard the learned counsels. 8. There is no dispute regarding the fact that the deceased expired on 01.05.2023 during the pendency of the disciplinary proceedings and the Respondent authorities sent proposals to the Government for treating the disciplinary proceedings initiated against the deceased as abated. 9. Therefore, the Writ Petition is disposed of with the following directions: 4 i) In view of the abatement of the Departmental Proceedings initiated against the deceased, the period of suspension imposed against the Petitioner shall be treated as 'on duty'. ii) The Respondent No.1 shall release the terminal benefits of late Guthula Vishnumurthy, husband of the Petitioner, to the Petitioner within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. iii) There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel, the miscellaneous applications pending, if any, shall stand closed. __________________ NYAPATHY VIJAY, J Date: 20.07.2026 eha 5 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY WRIT PETITION NO: 18919/2026 Dt. 20.07.2026 eha