APHC010024902026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3329] MONDAY, THE 17th DAY OF AUGUST 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA WRIT PETITION NO: 1665/2026 Between: 1. T LOKESWARA REDDY, S/O. RAMALINGA REDDY, AGED 58 YEARS, OCC.CONTRACTOR, R/O. D.NO. 7-21, NEAR KODANDA RAMA TEMPLE, CHINNA CHERUVUPALLI VILLAGE, TANAKAL MANDAL, ANANTHAPURAMU DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, FINANCE AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 2. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, MINORITY WELFARE DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 3. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, ANANTHAPURAMU DISTRICT AT ANANTHAPURAMU. 4. THE DISTRICT MINORITY WELFARE OFFICER, ANANTHAPURAMU DISTRICT AT ANANTHAPURAMU. 5. THE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER, AP STATE COOPERATIVE RURAL IRRIGATION CORPORATION, ANANTHAPURAMU, ANANTHAPURAMU DISTRICT. 6. THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, AP STATE COOPERATIVE RURAL IRRIGATION CORPORATION, ANANTHAPURAMU, ANANTHAPURAMU DISTRICT. 2 NV,J WP No.1665 of 2026 7. THE AP STATE COOPERATIVE RURAL IRRIGATION CORPORATION, VIJAYAWADA, KRISHNA DISTRICT, REPRESENTED BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR. ...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 for action of the respondents in not releasing the final bill amount of Rs.3,38,000/- along with interest to the petitioner in pursuance of the agreement entered into with the 6th respondent vide Agreement No. EE/RIC/AGRT/16/2018-19dated 24.10.2018 as illegal, arbitrary, violation of principles of natural justice and unconstitutional and consequently direct the respondents to release and pay the final bill amount of Rs.3,38,000/- to the petitioner and to pass such other orders and grant 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 direct the respondents to release and pay the final bill amount of Rs. 3,38,000/- to the petitioner for the work executed under the Agreement No. EE/RIC/AGRT/16/2018-19 dated 24.10.2018 along with interest forthwith and to pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. RAMESH BABU TALLURI Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR REVENUE 2. GP FOR SOCIAL WELFARE 3. MALLIPUDI DHANA RAJU SC for APIDC Ltd. 4. GP FOR FINANCE PLANNING 5. K NARSI REDDY 3 NV,J WP No.1665 of 2026 THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA WRIT PETITION No.1665 OF 2026 ORDER: 1. The petitioner had been awarded the contract of work(s) under the subject scheme in Anantapuram District. After execution of the said contract, a final bill was prepared for a sum of Rs.3,38,000/- as per the sanctioned orders. As the payment of the said amount has not been made by the respondents, the petitioner has approached this Court by way of this writ petition. 2. It is the contention of the petitioner that even though the respondents admitted that the petitioner is entitled for payment of Rs.3,38,000/-, no payment is being made. The petitioner contends that such non-payment of money is clearly arbitrary and high-handed requiring the interference of this Court. 3. This Court, in various orders, including the judgment of a learned Single Judge of this Court dated 05.10.2021 in W.P.No.10038 of 2021 and batch had taken the view that such non-payment of dues is arbitrary and that such dues need to be cleared by the respondents at the earliest. 4. On the other hand, Sri K. Divakar Reddy, learned counsel appearing for Sri K. Narsi Reddy, learned Standing Counsel for Andhra Pradesh State 4 NV,J WP No.1665 of 2026 Cooperative Rural Irrigation Corporation, has placed on record the written instructions dated 17.08.2026 received from the Executive Engineer, APSCRIC, Anantapuram admitting net amount of Rs.3,38,000/- payable to the petitioner. But, the subject bill was not uploaded for payment. Soon after uploading of the bill, an amount of Rs.3,38,000/- will be paid to the petitioner. 5. In view of the aforesaid directions of this Court in various cases and after hearing the submissions of learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Standing Counsel, this Writ Petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to release the net amount of Rs.3,38,000/- to the petitioner within a period of two (02) months. It would also be open to the petitioner to agitate his claim for differential amount, if any payable by the respondents, in an appropriate forum. There shall be no order as to costs. No order as to costs. 6. In fact there is no admission by the Respondents either in their Written Instructions regarding the payment of interest component or by oral submissions made by the Government Pleader/Standing Counsel for Respondents. Much less, the interest component as claimed by the petitioner was neither admitted nor approved at their final bills of the respondents. Hence, in the absence of any such admission, this Court is not inclined to grant any specific amount as it admitted under the head of interest. However, the Petitioner is entitled for interest component as per the terms of Agreement if permits and also in the case of delayed payments, as per the ratio laid down 5 NV,J WP No.1665 of 2026 by the Division Bench of this Court in W.A.No.724 of 2021. Therefore, the respondents are hereby directed to pay admitted amount within a period of four months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. As far as interest is concerned, if both parties have agreed regarding the quantum of amount towards interest, the same should be paid along with admitted amount, if not, petitioner is at liberty to submit a representation or a Memo of Statement requesting for payment of interest. If petitioner is entitled for the same, after such submission of representation or Memo, the concerned respondent authorities shall consider and pass appropriate orders after providing opportunity of hearing to both parties in case of rejection or reduction of interest amount claimed by the petitioner, within a period of four (04) weeks thereafter. 7. Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in this Writ Petition shall stand closed. ________________________________ VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA, J Date: 17.08.2026 SP 6 NV,J WP No.1665 of 2026 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA WRIT PETITION No.1665 OF 2026 Date:17.08.2026 W SP