V.Grace Mary, v. The State Of Andhra Pradesh,

THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE P. NAVEEN RAO WRIT PETITION Nos.8711, 8712, 8763, 8825, 8827, 8858, 8883, 9044, 9308 AND 9348 of 2017 Dated:23.03.2017 W.P.No.8711 of 2017 Between:

D. Rama Devi, W/o. D. Gopal, Aged about 38 years, Occ: Field Assistant, Naidupalli Gram Panchayat, Markapur Mandal, Prakasam District .. Petitioner And The State of Andhra Praddesh, rep., by its Principal Secretary, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department, Secretariat Buildings, Velagapudi, Hyderabad and others .. Respondents The Court made the following:

THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE P. NAVEEN RAO WRIT PETITION Nos.8711, 8712, 8763, 8825, 8827, 8858, 8883, 9044, 9308 AND 9348 of 2017 COMMON ORDER:

In these Writ Petitions, the petitioners are aggrieved by rejection of the request for renewal of contract appointment as Field Assistants.

2.

When the matters are taken up, learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Special Standing Counsel, fairly submit that the subject matter of these Writ Petitions is covered by the decision of this Court in W.P.No.41245 of 2016 and batch, dated 02.02.2017.

3.

In W.P.No.41245 of 2016 and batch, this Court held as under:

"19.

As noted above, in all these writ petitions learned Special Standing counsel, representing the respondents fairly submits that reasons are not recorded by the threeman committee or the Committee has not answered the specific objection of the individuals and the final recommendation of the Committee is only "as not recommended".

20.

Having regard to the above findings, I am of the considered opinion that the exercise undertaken by the respondents in pursuant to the direction issued by this Court in W.P.No.27468 of 2015 and batch dated 31.12.2015 is not in accordance with the said directions and is in clear violation of the basic principles as to how a decision has to be taken by the competent authority, i.e., decision must be supported by reasons, more so, when it affects a person's right to public employment. In the instant case, the decision of the Committee is affecting petitioners' right to claim public employment or continuation of their service on contract basis with the 2nd respondent as Field Assistants and when such claim is affected, the decision must be supported by reasons. As noted above, the Collector has simply accepted the recommendations of the Committee and passed orders and the District Collector is not the competent authority.

21.

Thus, the writ petitions are allowed. The matters are remitted to the stage of consideration by the three-man Committee. The Committee shall assign due reasons in support of its recommendation on each of the petitioners

after consideration of the explanations already submitted and on due verification of the relevant records. It shall forward its recommendations to the Project Directors concerned. On consideration of such recommendations, the respective Project Directors shall pass orders as required in each of the cases. The entire exercise shall be completed within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of copy of this order.

22.

Since the matters are remitted to the stage of consideration of three-man committee constituted as directed by this Court in Para No.111 in W.P.No.27468 of 2015 and batch dated 31.12.2015, as directed in Para 112, till the decision is made in accordance with the directions issued in these batch of writ petitions, no further appointments shall be made at the places earlier occupied by petitioners. There shall be no order as to costs." 4.

Following the said decision and the reasons assigned therein, these Writ Petitions also allowed. The Three-Men Committee appointed pursuant to the directions of this Court in W.P.No.27468 of 2015 and batch, dated 31.12.2015, shall consider the explanations filed by the petitioners objectively and make detailed suggestions/recommendations on the merits of the objections filed by the petitioners and based on the said reports filed by the concerned Committee, the Project Director, District Water Management Agency, Prakasam District, the 4th respondent, shall pass appropriate orders as warranted by law by assigning due reasons in support of his decision. The entire exercise shall be completed within a period of one month from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Till a decision is made, the places where the petitioners earlier worked shall not be filled up. There shall be no order as to costs.

Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in these Writ Petitions shall stand closed.

____________________ P. NAVEEN RAO, J Date:23.03.2017 KH