Smt Vallabhaneni Suneetha, Vs The State of Andhra Pradesh — Andhra Pradesh HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Smt Vallabhaneni Suneetha, Vs The State of Andhra Pradesh — Andhra Pradesh HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ Petition disposed of with directions: (i) Respondents to consider the Petitioner's case for promotion to the Post of Director in the Directorate of Town & Country Planning, subject to the Petitioner possessing requisite qualifications in terms of G.O.Ms.No.257, General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999; (ii) no order as to costs; miscellaneous petitions, pending if any, closed.

Issue for consideration

Whether the initiation and continuation of disciplinary proceedings against the Petitioner vide G.O.Rt.No.23 MD & UD (Vig.II) Department dated 08.01.2024 is illegal and arbitrary. +1 more

Ratio / Principle

This Court opined that the case of the Petitioner for the post of Director in the Directorate of Town & Country Planning can be considered for promotion in terms of G.O.Ms.No.257 General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999.

Key takeaways

Respondents were directed to consider the Petitioner's case for promotion to the Post of Director in the Directorate of Town & Country Planning, subject to the Petitioner possessing requisite qualifications in terms of G.O.Ms.No.257, General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999.ratio¶29(i)

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

W.P.No.18566 of 2026 (High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati, Special Original Jurisdiction) - Justice Nyapathy Vijay - pronounced 09-07-2026. Petitioner, Additional Director since 2018 and statedly eligible for promotion to Director, challenged the initiation and continuation of disciplinary proceedings vide G.O.Rt.No.23 MD & UD ( Vig.II) Department dated 08.01.2024 (Charge Memo with pending enquiry) which blocked consideration of her promotion. The Court held that her case for promotion to the post of Director in the Directorate of Town & Country Planning can be considered in terms of G.O.Ms.No.257 General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999, and disposed of the writ petition directing the Respondents to consider her promotion subject to her possessing requisite qualifications per that G.O.; no order as to costs; miscellaneous petitions closed. The Court made no express pronouncement on the legality of the disciplinary proceedings themselves.

Date of reserved for orders : Date of pronouncement : 09-07-2026 Date of uploading :

APHC010348722026

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI [3460] (Special Original Jurisdiction)

THURSDAY, THE 9^th DAY OF JULY 2026

PRESENT

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY

WRIT PETITION NO: 18566/2026

Between:

Smt Vallabhaneni Suneetha,

...PETITIONER

AND

The State Of Andhra Pradesh and Others

...RESPONDENT(S)

Counsel for the Petitioner:

1.S SRINIVASA RAO

Counsel for the Respondent(S):

1.GP FOR SERVICES I

The Court made the following:

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THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY

W.P.No.18566 of 2026

O R D E R:

The present Writ Petition is filed to declare the action of the Respondent No.2 in initiation and continuation of disciplinary proceedings vide G.O.Rt.No.23 MD & UD ( Vig.II) Department dated 08.01.2024 as illegal and arbitrary and consider the case of the Petitioner for promotion to the post of Director.

The Petitioner has been working as Additional Director since 2018. It is stated that now she is eligible and qualified for promotion to the post of Director. While so, a Charge Memo was issued to the Petitioner vide G.O.Rt.No.23 MD & UD ( Vig.II) Department dated 08.01.2024, making certain allegations.

It is stated that after serving the above Charge Memorandum, the Petitioner submitted statement of defence refuting the aforesaid charge and enquiry is stated to be pending. In view of the pendency of the Charge Memorandum, the case of the Petitioner for promotion is not being considered. It was in that context, the present Writ Petition was filed.

Having heard the respective submissions, this Court is of the opinion that the case of the Petitioner for the post of the Director in Directorate of Town & Country Planning can be considered for promotion in terms of G.O.Ms.No.257 General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999.

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5. The Writ Petition is disposed of with following directions:

i) The Respondents are directed to consider the Petitioner’s case for promotion to the Post of Director in Directorate of Town & Country Planning subject to the Petitioner possessing requisite qualifications in terms of G.O.Ms.No.257, General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999.

(ii) There shall be no order as to costs.

As a sequel, miscellaneous petitions, pending if any, shall stand closed.

__________________ NYAPATHY VIJAY, J

Date: 09.07.2026

Whether the order is:

Speaking	Reasoned
Reportable	Non-reportable
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THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY

W.P.No.18566 of 2026

Dated: 09.07.2026

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