Disposed¶34

Prof. K Kailasa Reddy, v. Prof. M. James Stephen

Andhra Pradesh HC13 Nov 2025CC/3363/2024

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Contempt of court; willful violation of writ order in W.P.No.19455 of 2023 dated 03.08.2023; Andhra University Registrar and Incharge Vice-Chancellor as contemnors; delay in passing speaking orders; non-compliant speaking orders dated 19.10.2024; fresh speaking orders dated 12.11.2025 passed in pursuance of order dated 30.10.2025; contempt case closed; petitioner at liberty to challenge speaking orders; no order as to costs; Justice V. Sujatha; High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati; CC No.3363 of 2024; APHC010044472024.

What did the court decide?

Contempt case closed without penalty; petitioner left at liberty to challenge the speaking orders dated 12.11.2025; no order as to costs; miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, stand closed. ¶34

Prof. K Kailasa Reddy, Vs Prof. M. James Stephen — Andhra Pradesh HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Contempt case closed without penalty; petitioner left at liberty to challenge the speaking orders dated 12.11.2025; no order as to costs; miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, stand closed.

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Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents committed willful violation of this Court's orders dated 03.08.2023 in W.P.No.19455 of 2023 by failing to consider the petitioner's fresh representation and pass appropriate orders within the prescribed period.

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Court's answer

The Court recorded that there was an admitted delay in issuing the speaking orders required by its order dated 03.08.2023 in W.P.No.19455 of 2023.

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Ratio / Principle

The speaking orders passed earlier by the previous officer on 19.10.2024 were not in compliance with the orders passed by this Court.

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Key takeaways

Since the required speaking orders dated 12.11.2025 have been passed by respondent No.3 in pursuance of this Court's direction dated 30.10.2025, the Contempt Case is closed; the petitioner is at liberty to challenge the speaking orders dated 12.11.2025; there shall be no order as to costs.ratio¶34-36
Miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, in the Contempt Case shall stand closed.ratio¶37

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Andhra Pradesh High Court (Amaravati), Contempt Case No.3363 of 2024, Justice V. Sujatha, 14.11.2025: The contempt case alleged willful violation of the order dated 03.08.2023 in W.P.No.19455 of 2023, whereby the petitioner was directed to make a fresh representation to the Registrar, Andhra University (R1), and R1 was to pass appropriate orders in accordance with law within two weeks. The Court noted an admitted delay in issuing the speaking orders and that earlier speaking orders dated 19.10.2024 passed by the previous officer were not in compliance with its directions. Following the Court's order dated 30.10.2025, respondent No.3 (Andhra University, impleaded on 24.02.2025 vide IA No.3 of 2024) passed speaking orders dated 12.11.2025, copies of which were furnished in court by counsel for the respondents. The Court closed the contempt case, left the petitioner at liberty to challenge the speaking orders dated 12.11.2025, made no order as to costs, and closed miscellaneous petitions, if any.

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APHC010044472024

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[3333]

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI

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(Special Original Jurisdiction)

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FRIDAY,THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF NOVEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE

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PRESENT

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THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE V.SUJATHA

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CONTEMPT CASE NO: 3363/2024

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Between:

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PROF. K KAILASA REDDY,, S/O LATE RAMALINGA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 78 YEARS, RETD PROFESSOR, ANDHRA UNIVERSITY, R/O 7-5-171, SRI VINAYAGAR APARTMENTS, PANDURANGA PURAM, VISAKHAPATNAM- 530003, AP.

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...PETITIONER

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AND

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PROF M JAMES STEPHEN, REGISTRAR INCHARGE, ANDHRA UNIVERSITY, VISHAKHAPATNAM.

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SMT K SAMATHA, THE INCHARGE VICE-CHANCELLOR, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, ANDHRA UNIVERSITY, VISHAKHAPATNAM - 530 003

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THE ANDHRA UNIVERSITY, VISAKHAPATNAM - 530 003. REP. BY ITS REGISTRAR. R 3 IMPLEADED AS PER COURT ORDER DT.24.02.2025. VIDE IA NO.3 OF 2024. IN CC NO.3363 OF 2024.

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...CONTEMNOR(S):

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Counsel for the Petitioner:

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1.CORPUS JURIS LAW PANEL LLP

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Counsel for the Contemnor(S):

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2.GANGA KUMAR CHAKRAVARTULA

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The Court made the following: ORDER:

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This Contempt Case is filed for willful violation of the orders

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passed by this Court in W.P.No.19455 of 2023 on 03.08.2023, wherein this Court passed the following order:

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“In view of the same, the petitioner is directed to make a fresh representation to the Registrar, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam i.e., 1st respondent herein, who is the competent authority to consider the case of the petitioner, within a period of one (1) week from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. On receipt of the same, the 1st respondent shall consider and pass appropriate orders on the petitioner’s representation, in accordance with law, within a period of two (2) weeks, thereafter. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of.”

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Today, when the matter came up for hearing, Sri Ganga Kumar Chakravartula, learned counsel for the respondents, furnished a copy of the speaking orders dated 12.11.2025, passed by respondent No.3, in pursuance to the order dated 30.10.2025 passed by this Court.

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Admittedly, there has been a delay in issuing the speaking orders, as this Court, vide orders dated 03.08.2023, directed the petitioner to submit a fresh representation to the Registrar, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam i.e., respondent No.1, within a period of one week from the date of receipt of the order. The 1^st respondent shall consider and pass appropriate orders on the representation in accordance with law within a period of two (2) weeks, thereafter.

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It appears that different orders were passed by different Officers. Earlier, speaking orders were passed by the previous Officer on 19.10.2024. But however, the said orders were not in compliance with the orders passed by this Court.

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