Talluri Sushmitha Vs the State of Ap — Writ and Judicial Review | Andhra Pradesh HC (2026)

Talluri Sushmitha Vs the State of Ap — Writ and Judicial Review | Andhra Pradesh HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition allowed with the direction that the respondents revise the provisional seniority list reckoning the petitioner's date of appointment as 09.08.2012 instead of 24.02.2015; no costs; pending miscellaneous application(s) stand closed as a sequel.

Issue for consideration

Whether the 3rd respondent's proceedings Rc.No.A3/81/2020 dated 27.06.2020, rejecting the petitioner's seniority from the year 2012 in the cadre of VRA (instead fixing it from 2015) and not considering her for VRO Grade-II promotion, are illegal, arbitrary and violative of Articles 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution. +1 more

Ratio / Principle

Since the petitioner was accommodated in the place of Smt.D.Jyothi Lakshmi, who joined on 09.08.2012 and whose services were withdrawn, the petitioner automatically gets an entitlement for appointment with effect from 09.08.2012.

Key takeaways

The respondents are directed to revise the provisional seniority list by taking the petitioner's date of appointment as 09.08.2012 instead of 24.02.2015.ratio¶44

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Service law - Village Revenue Assistant (VRA) - fixation of seniority - writ petition under Article 226 challenging proceedings Rc.No.A3/81/2020 dated 27.06.2020 of the District Collector, Prakasam, whereby the petitioner's seniority in the cadre of VRA was fixed from her date of joining (24.02.2015) instead of 2012 and she was excluded from consideration for VRO Grade-II promotion. The petitioner had been selected under notification dated 07.12.2011 (nativity requirement later relaxed by G.O.Ms.No.502, Revenue (VA) Department, dated 04.08.2012, which was suspended in O.A.No.7824 of 2012); on the Tribunal's direction in M.A.No.2597 of 2014 (order dated 24.09.2014) she was appointed vide Rc.No.D/256/2014 dated 24.02.2015 in the vacancy arising on withdrawal of the services of Smt.D.Jyothi Lakshmi, who had joined the post on 09.08.2012. Held: the petitioner, accommodated in the place of the predecessor whose services were withdrawn, automatically gets entitlement for appointment with effect from 09.08.2012; respondents directed to revise the provisional seniority list taking the petitioner's date of appointment as 09.08.2012 instead of 24.02.2015. Writ petition allowed; no costs; pending miscellaneous application closed.

[3329]

APHC010319472020

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

FRIDAY,THE TENTH DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX

PRESENT

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA WRIT PETITION NO: 21171/2020

Between:

TALLURI SUSHMITHA, W/O KASTAMMA RAJU AGE 32 GAJJALLAKONDA VILLAGE, MARKAPUR MANDAL, PRAKASAM DISTRICT

...PETITIONER

AND

THE STATE OF AP, THE STATE OF A.P. REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SCRETARY, REVENUE, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, AT AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR.

THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF LAND ADMINISTRATION, GOLLAPUDI, VIJAYAWADA

THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, PRAKASAM DISTRICT, KONGOLE

THE REVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICER, MARKAPUR DIVISION, MARKAPUR

THE TAHASILDAR, MARKAPUR MANDAL,PRAKASAM DISTRICT

...RESPONDENT(S):

Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased toPLEASED TO ISSUE A WRIST OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT OR DIRECTION DECLARING SATHE 3RD RESPONDENT PROCEEDINGS RC.NO.A3/81/2020 DATED 27-06-2020, THEREBY REJECTOMG THE SENIORITY TO THE PETITIONER FROM

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THE YEAR 2012 IN THE CADRE OF VRA AS AND WHEN THE PETITIONER IS ELIGIBLE INSTEAD OF THE YEAR 2015 AND NOT CONSIDERING STHE PETITIONER FORVRO GRADE-II PLROMOTION IS ILLEGAL, ARBITRARY, DISCRIMINATION, UNJUST AND VIOLATION OF THE ARTICLE 14, 16 AND 21 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA AND CONSEQUENTLY DIRECT THE RESPONDENTS TO COUNT/FIX THE SENIORITY OF THE PETITIONER IN THE CADREOF VRA FROM THE YEAR 2012 AND INCLUDE THE PETITIONER NAME AT APPROPRIATE PLACE IN THE VRO PROMOTION LIST AND CONSIDER FOR PROMOTION TO THE POST OF VRO WITH ALL CONSEQUENTIAL BENEFITS AND PASS

IA NO: 1 OF 2020

Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased DIRECT THE RESPONDENTS TO INCLUDE THE PETITIONER NAME AT APPROPRIATE PLACE IN THE VRO PROMOTION LIST BY COUNT THE SENIORITY O THE PETITIONER IN THE CADRE OF THE VRA FROM THE YEAR 2012 AND CONSIDER THE PETITIONER CLAIM FOR PROMOTION TO THE POST OF VRO OR ALTERNATIVE TOKEEP VACANT OF ONE POST OF VRO PENDING DISPOSAL OF THE WRIT PETITION AND PASS

Counsel for the Petitioner:

1.KOTI REDDY IDAMAKANTI

Counsel for the Respondent(S):

1.GP FOR REVENUE

The Court made the following:

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THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA WRIT PETITION NO:21171/2020

ORDER:

This writ petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution

of the India seeking the following reliefs:-

“to issue a Writ Of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ or direction declaring the 3^rd respondent proceedings Rc.No.A3/81/2020 dated 27.06.2020, thereby rejecting the seniority to the petitioner from the year 2012 in the cadre of VRA as and when the petitioner is eligible instead of the year 2015 and not considering the petitioner for VRO Grade-II promotion is illegal, arbitrary, discrimination, unjust and violation of the Articles 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution of India and consequently direct the respondents to count/fix the seniority of the petitioner in the cadre of VRA from the year 2012 and include the petitioner name at appropriate place in the VRO promotion list and consider for promotion to the post of VRO with all consequential benefits and pass such other order or orders.”

Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned

Government Pleader for the respondents.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner applied to the post of Village Revenue Assistant in pursuance of the notification dated 07.12.2011, which specifies that the candidates shall be the natives of the revenue village, for which the recruitment is notified. Subsequently, there was an amendment to the said notification vide G.O.Ms.No.502 dated 04.08.2012 by which the candidates who are not natives of the revenue village are also eligible for the post. Challenging the same, the petitioner approached the Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal at

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Hyderabad by way of O.A.No.7824 of 2012, wherein the Tribunal at the stage of admission passed an interim order dated 28.09.2012 suspending the G.O.Ms.No.502 dated 04.08.2012. Thereafter, in M.A.No.2597 of 2014 in O.A.No.7824 of 2012, following order dated 24.09.2014 was passed:

Pending disposal of the O.A., the respondents are directed to consider the case of applicant to the post of VRA Gajjalakonda village, Markapur Mandal, Prakasam District, as per the notification dated 07.12.2011 and the rules prevailing prior to the amendment that was carried out vide G.O.Ms.No.502, Revenue (VA) Department, dated 04.08.2012 as per her merit and eligibility.

Pursuant to the order of the Tribunal, the 4^th respondent has given appointment order to the petitioner vide proceedings in Rc.No.D/256/2014 dated 24.02.2015. Pursuant to the same, the petitioner joined into the services. He further submits that the respondents, by considering the date of appointment of the petitioner as 24.02.2015, ignoring the original date of selection on par with others have prepared provisional seniority list which is now impugned before this Court.

Learned Government Pleader for the respondents submits that the services of one Smt.D.Jyothi Lakshmi, who was appointed in the said post on 09.08.2012, were withdrawn and the petitioner was appointed in the resultant vacancy.

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In view of the above facts and circumstances of the

case, it can be understood that the petitioner was accommodated in the place of one Smt.D.Jyothi Lakshmi, who joined on 09.08.2012 and after her services were withdrawn. Hence, the petitioner automatically would get an entitlement for appointment with effect from 09.08.2012. Hence, holding as such, the respondents are directed to revise the provisional seniority list by considering the date of appointment of the petitioner as on 09.08.2012 instead of 24.02.2015.

With the above direction, the Writ Petition is allowed.

No costs.

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

________________________________ VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA, J

10.04.2026 BSP

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HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA

WRIT PETITION NO:21171/2020

10.04.2026 BSP