Neo Communications, v. The Government Of Andhra Pradesh,

HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE A. RAMALINGESWARA RAO Writ Petition No. 32259 of 2011 Order:

This writ petition was filed challenging the notification No.12345/Advt.I/2011, dated 28.11.2011, issued for empanelment of advertising agencies by the Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad.

2. No interim order was granted staying the empanelment. A counter affidavit is filed stating as follows. "It is submitted that the action of the respondent to empanel advertising agencies afresh is the follow-up action of the decisions taken up by the Government in GO Ms No.620, dt:18.11.2011, General Administration (I&PR.I) Dept., constituting a high-level committee under chairmanship of Chief Secretary to Government with 8 members in the cadre of Principal Secretaries and Secretaries to Government with Commissioner of Information and Public Relations and Exofficio Secretary to Government, General Administration (I&PR) Dept., as member-convener of the committee. The process intended is not only empanelment of advertising agencies afresh but also to categorize into A, B and C to cater the needs of the Government for multi-media, print and outdoor campaigns and release of tender advertisements to newspapers.

It is submitted that the action of respondent is not arbitrary, illegal or in-discriminatory as alleged by the petitioner. The notification issued for empanelment and categorization of advertising-agencies afresh is a collective decision taken up by a high-level committee constituted with top cadre government functionaries under chairmanship of Chief Secretary to Government with the respondent as member-convener."

3. However, after issuance of the impugned notification, the State was bifurcated and in view of the same nothing survives for adjudication in the present Writ Petition and the matter has become infructuous.

4. The Writ Petition is, accordingly, dismissed as infructuous. There shall be no order as to costs.

5. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous petitions, if any, pending in this Writ Petition shall stand closed.

________________________ A.

RAMALINGESWARA RAO, J.

Date: 18.02.2016 Nsr