Date of reserved for orders : Date of pronouncement : Date of uploading : APHC010121032026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3460] THURSDAY, THE 13th DAY OF AUGUST 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY WRIT PETITION NO: 6530/2026 Between: 1. M. GOPI,, S/O. M. RAJENDRAN, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN PUTTUR DIVISION, R/O. D. NO. 1-147, PARAMESWARA MANGALAM POST AND VILLAGE PUTTUR MANDAL, TIRUPATI DISTRICT - 517584. 2. C. BALAJI,, S/O. C. GOVIND, AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN CHITTOOR RURAL R/O. D. NO. 16/96, BALAJIVEEDHI, B. KOTHAKOTA MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT - 517257 3. B. APPI REDDY,, S/O. BALAREDDY, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN MADANA PALLI DIVISION, R/O. REDDIVARI PALLI VILLAGE, VEPURIKOTA POST, MULAKALACHERUVU MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT - 517351. 4. T. MURALIDHAR,, S/O. T. DAMODHAR, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN MADANA PALLI DIVISION R/O. D. NO. 9/63, MULAKALACHERUVU, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT-517390. 2 5. U. MURUGESULU,, S/O. U. BODEBBA, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN CHITTOOR TOWN R/O. D. NO. 22-978/7/UM, MURAGANAPALLI, NEAR SBI COLONY, CHITTOOR DISTRICT - 517001. 6. B. RAMA MOORTHY,, S/O. B. VENKATAPPA, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN MADANA PALLI DIVISION R/O. PEDDAKAURAVA PALLI, KUKKARAJUPALLI POST, THAMBALLAPALLI MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT - 517297. 7. R. PRABHAKAR REDDY,, S/O. R. SIVARAM REDDY, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN MADANA PALLI DIVISION, R/O. DIGUVA KUKKALAPALLE VILLAGE, PADDA THIPPASAMUDRAM MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT - 517391. 8. V. MADHU,, S/O. V. GURRAPPA NAIDU, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN TIRUPATI RURAL DIVISION R/O. 164/B, PLOT NO. 5, SRIVARI NAGAR, PUDIPATIA POST AND VILLAGE, TIRUPATI RURAL, TIRUPATI DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH - 517505. 9. B. JAFFAR VALLI,, S/O. B. NAGOOR BASHA, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN MADANA PALLI DIVISION R/O. PATRA PALLE (VILLAGE AND POST), SOMALA MANDAL, CHITTOOR DISTRICT - 517257. 10. V. ANANDA REDDY,, S/O. V. SREENIVASULU REDDY, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN MADANA PALLI DIVISION R/O. 11-36, NELAPALLI VILLAGE AND POST, KOLATHUR, PEDDAPANJANI MANDAL, CHITTOOR DISTRICT - 517414 11. B. SHANKAR REDDY,, S/O. B. SEETHARAMI REDDY, AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN MADANA PALLI DIVISION R/O. D. NO. 7-15, DIGUVA MUTTRA VARI PALLI VILLAGE, KOSUVARIPALLI POST, 3 THAMBALLAPALLI MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT - 517350. 12. A. RATHNAMACHARI,, S/O. A. RAMACHANDRACHARI, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, 0/C. LINE MAN IN CHITTOR RURAL DIVISION, R/O. EGUVAMATHYAM VILLAGE, DIGUVAMATHYAM POST, THAVANAMPALLI MANDAL, CHITTOOR DISTRICT - 517129 13. A. NAGENDRABABU, , S/O. A. SUBRAMANYAM, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, 0/C. LINE MAN IN TIRUPATI RURAL DIVISION R/O. D. NO. 3-7, HIGH SCHOOL STREET, PUDIPATIA POST AND VILLAGE, TIRUPATI RURAL, TIRUPATI DISTRICT - 517505. 14. K. GOPI,, S/O. K. GANGAIAH, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, O/C. LINE MAN IN FILER, R/O. D.NO 2-557 , G.V NAGAR, FILER MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT - 517214. ...PETITIONER(S) AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA FRADESH, REP. BY PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICITY, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 2. SOUTHERN FEWER DISTRIBUTION CO OF AF LTD, CORP. OFFICE, TIRUPATHI, REP. BY ITS CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER/HRD, 3. EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, OPERATION DIVISION, AFSFDCL, FILER MANDAL, ANDHRA PRADESH. 4. EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, OPERATION DIVISION AFSFDCL, FUTTUR MANDAL, ANDHRA PRADESH. 5. EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, OPERATION DIVISION, 4 AFSFDCL, RURAL CHITTOOR, ANDHRA FRADESH. 6. EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, OPERATION DIVISION, AFSFDCL, RURAL TIRUPATI, ANDHRA PRADESH. 7. EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, OPERATION DIVISION, AFSFDCL, MADANAPALLI, ANDHRA PRADESH. 8. THE OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER, AFSFDCL, OPERATION CIRCLE, TIRUPATI, ANDHRA PRADESH. 9. K MOHAN KUMAR ID NO 9823, LINEMAN, FUNGANUR DISTRIBUTION, FUNGANURTOWN SECTION AND SUB DIVISION, MADANAPALLI DIVISION. 10. U REDDIBHASKAR ID NO 12347, ASSISTANT LINEMAN MATLAVARIPALLI DISTRIBUTION, KURABALAKOTA SECTION, MADANAPALLI DIVISION. 11. S MANI ID NO 12358, LINEMAN, GUTTAPALEM DISTRIBUTION, KALIKIRI SECTION AND SUB DIVISION, FILER DIVISION. 12. S JEEVARATHNAMA NAIDU ID NO 12335, LINEMAN, B.G. PALLI DISTRIBUTION, AVULAKONDA SECTION, GD NELLORE SUB DIVISION, CHITTOOR OPERATION DIVISION. 13. M ASWARTH ID NO 12377, LINEMAN, V. KOTA SS DISTRIBUTION, V. KOTA SECTION, PALAMANER SUB DIVISION, CHITTOOR DIVISION. 14. L JAYASANKAR ID NO 12379, LINEMAN, MALLANURU SS DISTRIBUTION, KUPPAM SECTION, PALAMANER SUB DIVISION, CHITTOOR DIVISION. 15. C LOKESH ID NO 10110, LINEMAN, NARAYANAVANAM DISTRIBUTION AND SECTION PUTTUR SUB DIVISION AND DIVISION. 5 16. P ISMAIL ID NO 10074, LINEMAN, PAKALA SS DISTRIBUTION, PAKALA SECTION AND SUB DIVISION, TIRUPATI RURAL DIVISION. 17. C HARIBABU ID NO 10075, LINEMAN PERUMALLAPALLI DISTRIBUTION, PERUR SECTION, CHANDRAGIRI SUB DIVISION, TIRUPATI RURAL DIVISION. ...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 the action of the respondent No. 2 herein in issuing the proceedings dated 25.10.2025, along with the consequential Memo dated 15.11.2025 issued by the respondent No. 8, as illegal and arbitrary and set aside the same along with the consequential direct the respondent No. 2 to revise the seniority list in terms of the number of mandays put in by the petitioners pursuant to the verification of the documents and to call for records in the interest of justice 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 stay all further proceedings pursuant to Memo dated 25.10.2025 issued by the respondent No. 2 and suspend the same, pending disposal of the writ petition, Counsel for the Petitioner(S): 1. R ANNAPURNA Counsel for the Respondent(S): 6 1. VENKATA RAMA RAO KOTA SC FOR APSPDCL 2. GP FOR SERVICES I The Court made the following: Whether the order is : Speaking Yes/No / Reasoned Yes/No Reportable Yes/No / Non-Reportable Yes/No 7 HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY W.P.No.6530 of 2026 O R DE R: This writ petition is filed declaring the action of Respondent No.2 in issuing the proceedings dated 25.10.2025 and consequential memo dated 15.11.2025 issued by Respondent No.8 as illegal and arbitrary. 2. Respondent No.2 had issued a notification on 06.06.2006 for recruitment of contract Junior Line Men (JLM). Thereafter, a revised notification was issued on 14.11.2006. Petitioners were selected and appointed as ‘JLM’ under the notifications in the year 2007. Subsequently, their services were regularized and presently working as ‘Linemen’. 3. Earlier, the Petitioners were working as contract labour i.e. shift operators and other allied posts in various divisions of Respondent No.2 before being appointed as contract JLM. The Petitioners claim to have EPF number and agreements to support their plea. 8 4. While so, the Respondents issued notices calling for objections with regard to merit-cum-seniority who were appointed through Direct Recruitment from 01.02.1999 in the cadre of Junior Line Men. As Mandays is the criteria for fixing seniority among the contract employees appointed as JLMs, Petitioners submitted their written objections to the notice enclosing the copies of the agreements under which they have worked along with EPF numbers to establish that they have worked as shift operators at various sub-stations for more than 1000 days 5. However, Respondents, without considering the material evidence, have rejected the cases of the Petitioners and issued a common seniority list, wherein the Petitioners are shown as juniors to persons who are already juniors to them. Consequent to the common seniority list issued by Respondent No.2, Respondent Nos.4, 5 and 7 issued seniority list on 18.02.2006, 16.02.2026 and 13.02.2026 respectively. 6. The grievance of the Petitioners is that the Respondents are giving further promotions to the post of Line Inspectors basing on these seniority lists and juniors to the Petitioners are being 9 considered for promotion to the said post. Hence, this writ petition. 7. Heard Smt. R.Annapurna, learned counsel for the Petitioners and learned standing counsel. 8. The contentions of the Petitioners require appreciation of facts vis-a-vis each of the Petitioner. It would be appropriate for the Respondents to examine these aspects as no such exercise was done prior in time, vis-a-vis, the individual claim of Petitioners. 9. Therefore, the writ petition is disposed of with the following directions: (1) Petitioners shall submit fresh representations along with supporting documents. (2) On receipt of the representations, Respondents shall consider the same and pass appropriate orders within a period of three (3) months. (3) No order as to costs. 10 As a sequel, the miscellaneous petitions if any shall stand dismissed. ___________________ NYAPATHY VIJAY, J Date: 13.08.2026 KLP