Petitioner approached court for non-payment of work bill. Court directed specific authorities to complete verification within three weeks and pay due amount within six weeks.
Direction to respondents to complete verification within three weeks and pay due amount within six weeks.
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HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE R. RAGHUNANDAN RAO
W.P.No.15351 of 2022
ORDER:
The petitioner had been awarded the contract for the execution of the work of development of burial ground in SC Colony in N. Agraharam in Division No.10 in Ongole Municipal Corporation vide Agreement No.712/2018-19 dated 29.09.2018. After execution of the said work, a final bill for Rs.3,58,059/- had been prepared and submitted to the concerned for payment. 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.
It is the contention of the petitioner that even though the respondents admitted that the petitioner is entitled for payment of the aforesaid sum of money, no payment is being made. The petitioner contends that such non-payment of money is clearly arbitrary and highhanded requiring the interference of this Court.
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.
Sri M Manohar Reddy, learned Standing Counsel for Municipality submits that the respondent authorities are verifying the claims of the petitioner and would be in a position to make payments only after such verification is completed.
In view of the aforesaid directions of this Court in various cases and after hearing the submissions of the learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Standing Counsel for Municipality, this writ petition is
RRR,J 2 W.P.No.15351 of 2022
disposed of with a direction to the respondents to complete the verification process within a period of three weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order and thereafter to pay the amount due to the petitioner depending upon the outcome of the verification, within a period of six weeks. It would also be open to the petitioner to agitate his/her/their claim for interest, if any payable by the respondents, in an appropriate forum. There shall be no order as to costs.
As a sequel, pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed.
_________________________ R. RAGHUNANDAN RAO, J.
11.07.2022 Mja
RRR,J 3 W.P.No.15351 of 2022
HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE R. RAGHUNANDAN RAO
W.P.No.15351 of 2022
11.07.2022
Mja
2 issues framed by the court
Whether the arbitrariness in non-payment of the bill for execution of work requires immediate intervention.
Whether the petitioner is entitled to a direction to verify the bill and pay the due amount.
Petitioner
Respondents
R. RAGHUNANDAN RAO
As recorded by the court registry
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