APHC010926792018 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3333] MONDAY, THE 7th DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE V.SUJATHA WRIT PETITION NO: 44778/2018 Between: 1. G.SUDHIR KUMAR REDDY, S/O KOTA REDDY AGED 60 YEARS, ASST MANAGER (ACCOUNTS), (RETIRED), O/O A P STATE CIVIL SUPPLIES CORPORATION LIMITED, DISTRICT OFFICE, KADAPA R/O H NO 11-13-165, ROAD NO.3, ALKAPURI COLONY, DILSUKHNAGAR, HYDERABAD ...PETITIONER AND 1. A P STATE CIVIL SUPPLIES CORPORATION LIMITED, HEAD OFFICE, 10-152/1 ASHOK NAGAR, BANDAR ROAD, VIJAYAWADA, KRISHNA DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY ITS VICE CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR 2. THE DISTRICT MANAGER, A P STATE CIVIL SUPPLIES CORPORATION LIMITED, DISTRICT OFFICE, OPP HANUMAN TEMPLE, MARUTHI NAGAR, YSR DISTRICT, KADAPA ...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 to to issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ or Writs, Order or Direction, declaring the action of Respondents in withholding Gratuity Amount and Earned Leave Encashment amount of petitioner, as illegal, 2 VS,J W.P.No.44778 of 2018 arbitrary, violative of Arts. 14 and 21 of Constitution of India and contrary to Section 4 of Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and to consequently direct the Respondents to forthwith release the above amounts in favour of the petitioner Award costs and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2018 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 to issue Interim directions to the Respondents to forthwith release Gratuity Amount and Earned Leave Encashment amount due to the petitioner, pending disposal of W P No. of 2018. 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 leased to permit the petitioner to amend main prayer as declaring the action of Respondents in withholding Gratuity Amount and Earned Leave Encashment amount of petitioner, as illegal, arbitrary , violative of Arts. 14 & 21 of Constitution of India and contrary to Section 4 of Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 arrrt to consequently direct the Respondents to forthwith release the above amounts with simple interest at the rate of 18 per cent in favour of the petitioner instead of oraver declaring the action of Respondents in withholding Gratuity Amount and Earned Leave Encashment amount of petitioner, as illegal, arbitrary, violative of Arts. 14 & 21 of Constitution Of India and contrary to Section 4 of Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and to consequently direct the Respondents to forthwith release the above amounts in fevour of the petttioner and pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. THOTA RAMAKOTESWARA RAO Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. KALAMATA R BABU(SC AP CIVIL SUPPL CORPN) The Court made the following: 3 VS,J W.P.No.44778 of 2018 ORDER: This Writ Petition came to be filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking the following prayer: “…to issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ or Writs, Order or Direction, declaring the action of Respondents in withholding Gratuity Amount and Earned Leave Encashment amount of petitioner, as illegal, arbitrary, violative of Arts. 14 and 21 of Constitution of India and contrary to Section 4 of Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and to consequently direct the Respondents to forthwith release the above amounts in favour of the petitioner Award costs and pass…” 2. The petitioner joined the respondent corporation as a daily wage employee in the year 1981 and his services were regularized as Grade III Assistant on 01.03.1984 and subsequently, after undergoing subsequent promotions, he retired on 30.06.2018 upon attaining the age of superannuation. 3. After his retirement, though the petitioner is entitled for payment of Rs.20,33,931/- towards gratuity and Rs.11,43,000/- towards earned leave encashment, the respondent authorities have withheld the said amounts without there being any valid reason. Aggrieved by the inaction of the respondent authorities in paying the aforementioned amounts, even after submitting Form-I which was received by the 2nd respondent on 18.07.2018, the present writ petition is filed. 4 VS,J W.P.No.44778 of 2018 4. When the writ petition came up for hearing on 24.12.2018, this Court passed the following interim order: “Since no rule prohibiting release of earned leave encashment has been produced by the learned Standing Counsel for the respondents, pending further orders, the respondents shall release to the petitioner earned leave encashment amount which he is entitled to within two (2) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.” 5. In spite of several adjournments, the respondents have not chosen to file a counter affidavit. 6. Heard Sri. K. Raghubabu, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri. K.R. Babu, learned Standing Counsel for the respondents. 7. Perused the entire material available on record. During the course of arguments, learned counsel for the petitioner admitted that pursuant to the interim orders passed by this Court, the respondents have paid earned leave encashment as per his entitlement, however, the amount of Rs.20,33,931/- payable to him towards gratuity has not been released. On the other hand, learned Standing Counsel stated that the payment of gratuity amount is under consideration before the 1st respondent and that the same would be released in favour of the petitioner in due course. 8. In view of the admission made by learned Standing Counsel that the payment of gratuity amount to the petitioner is under 5 VS,J W.P.No.44778 of 2018 consideration before the 1st respondent, instead of keeping the writ petition pending, this Court feels it appropriate to dispose of the same by directing the 1st respondent to release the gratuity amount of Rs.20,33,931/- payable to the petitioner, as expeditiously as possible, preferably, within a period of four (4) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 9. Accordingly, with the above direction, this writ petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in this Petition shall stand closed. _____________________ JUSTICE V.SUJATHA 07.09.2026 Gss