Badugu Vijayabhaskararao, Vs The State of… — Writ and Judicial Review | Andhra Pradesh HC (2026)

Badugu Vijayabhaskararao, Vs The State of… — Writ and Judicial Review | Andhra Pradesh HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Respondents directed to pay/clear the admitted dues (net of statutory deductions) to the petitioner within six weeks of receiving a copy of the order; interest claim left open for the petitioner to pursue in an appropriate forum; no order as to costs; miscellaneous petitions, if any, closed.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents are bound to release the admitted amount of Rs. 7,76,482/- due to the petitioner for work executed under Agreement 2023-24, notwithstanding the LOC-related withholding, without recourse to any forum or arbitration. +1 more

Court's answer

Since the work executed by the petitioner is admitted and the payment due to him is not disputed by the respondents, the Court found there was hardly any need to refer the matter to any forum or for arbitration for passing an arbitral award.

Ratio / Principle

The Court directed the respondents to pay the admitted amount to the petitioner.

Key takeaways

The respondents were directed to clear the due amount to the petitioner within six weeks from receipt of a copy of the order.ratio¶34
The sum due means the sum arrived at after statutory deductions; if there is any dispute regarding statutory recoveries, the petitioner may communicate/interface with the respondents.ratio¶35
With regard to interest, the petitioner was left at liberty to approach an appropriate forum; no interest was granted in this order.ratio

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Single-judge disposal (Tarlada Rajasekhar Rao, J.) of a writ of mandamus petition (W.P. No. 527 of 2024, High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati, 02.02.2026) by contractor Badugu Vijayabhaskararao seeking release of Rs. 7,76,482/- (M. Book No. 3989 AA) for urgent repairs to Godavari Barrage Road (Bobbaralanka Embankment) executed under Agreement 2023-24 dated 15.07.2023. On the strength of the Executive Engineer's written instructions dated 27.01.2025 admitting that the petitioner executed the entrusted work and that the dues were undisputed, payment having been withheld only due to LOC requirement, the Court held there was hardly any need to refer the matter to any forum or for arbitration, and directed the respondents to pay the admitted amount within six weeks. The sum due is the sum arrived at after statutory deductions; the claim for interest at 6% per annum was not granted and the petitioner was left free to approach an appropriate forum. Costs nil; miscellaneous petitions closed.

[3330]

APHC010658742023

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

MONDAY, THE SECOND DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX

PRESENT

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO WRIT PETITION NO: 527 of 2024

Between:

BADUGU VIJAYABHASKARARAO,, S/O. BADUGU PEDAPANDU, AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, OCC.CONTRAETOR, R/O. H. NO. 3-64, INDIRA GANDHI VEEDHI, VEDIRESWARAM, RAVULAPALEM, DR BR AMBEDKAR KONASEEMA DISTRICT.

...PETITIONER

AND

THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP BY ITS PRINCIPLE SECRETARY ROADS AND BUILDINGS (R AND B) DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, THULLUR MANDAL, GUNTUR DISTRICT.

THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, FINANCE DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, THULLUR MANDAL, GUNTUR DISTRICT.

THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, (R AND B) AMALAPURAM, DR BR AMBEDKAR KONASEEMA DISTRICT.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ONGC, RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM, RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM DISTRICT.

THE CHIEF MANAGER, (HR), EOA, ONGC, RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM, RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM DISTRICT.

THE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER, R AND B CIRCLE, KAKINADA,

KAKINADA DISTRICT.

7. THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER R AND B, (R AND B) DIVISION, AMALAPURAM, DR BR AMBEDKAR KONASEEMA 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 to issue a Writ, Order, or Direction more particularly one in the nature of WRIT OF MANDAMUS or any other appropriate writ or direction declaring the action of the respondents in not releasing total payment of Rs. 7,76,482/vide M. Book No. 3989 AA, even after finalizing the bills, payable to the petitioner in relation to the works i.e.. Urgent Repairs to Godavari Barrage Road from Km 0.00 to 6.377 (working Reach 3.565 to 3.765) Bobbaralanka (Embankament) in Dr. Br Ambedkar Konaseema District, vide Agreement 2023-24 dated 15.07.2023, as illegal,arbitrary and violative of Art 14 and 21 of Constitution of India and consequently direct the respondent authorities to release Rs. 7,76,482/- interest @ 6 percent per annum, in view of the judgment of the Hon'ble Division Bench of this Court in Writ Appeal No.724 of 2021 and batch dated 12.10.2023 for the pending final bills forthwith for the above said works executed by the petitioner and to pass

Counsel for the Petitioner:

1.ANNAMNEEDI BALAKRISHNA

Counsel for the Respondent(S):

1.GP FOR ROADS BUILDINGS (AP)

2.GP FOR FINANCE PLANNING (AP)

The Court made the following:

Order:

This Writ Petition is filed to direct the respondents to release the amount of Rs.7,76,482/- in relation to the work executed i.e., Urgent Repairs to Godavari Barrage Road from Km 0.00 to 6.377 (working Reach 3.565 to 3.765) Bobbaralanka (Embankment) in Dr. Br Ambedkar Konaseema District, vide Agreement 2023-24 dated 15.07.2023 and also to direct the respondents to pay the interest @ 6% per annum over an amount of Rs. 7,76,482/-.

The learned Assistant Government Pleader for Roads and Buildings Department has placed written instructions addressed by the 7^th respondentExecutive Engineer (R&B Department) dated 27.01.2025 to the office of the Government Pleader for Roads and Buildings Department. The written instructions of the 7^th respondent would indicate that the petitioner has executed work entrusted to him. However, it is stated that the payment was not done due to LOC requirement.

The respondents have admitted in the written instructions that the petitioner has executed the work entrusted to him. In the present case, the respondents have not disputed the payment due to the petitioner for the work executed and the respondents have manifested in their written instructions that they will pay the amount to the petitioner and they are unable to the pay due to due to LOC requirement. Once the work executed by the petitioner to the respondents is admitted and the payment due to the petitioner is not disputed by the respondents, there was hardly any need for this Court to refer the matter to any forum or for arbitration for passing an arbitral award

assuming that any condition in the agreement to that extent. Hence, this Court directs the respondents to pay the admitted amount to the petitioner.

In view of the above, the present Writ Petition is disposed of with following directions:

(a) The respondents are directed to clear the due amount to the petitioner within a period of six (06) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

(b) Sum due to the petitioner would mean, the sum arrived after statutory deductions. If there is any dispute regarding statutory recoveries, the petitioner is at liberty to communicate/interface with the respondents.

(c) With regard to interest, the petitioner is at liberty to approach appropriate forum.

There shall be no order as to costs.

As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous petitions, if any, pending in this Writ Petition shall stand closed.

Date:02.02.2026

JAK

______________________________ TARLADA RAJASEKHARA RAO, J

48

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHARA RAO

WRIT PETITION NO: 527 of 2024

Date:02.02.2026

JAK

HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI

MAIN CASE No: W.P. No. 527 of 2024

PROCEEDING SHEET

Sl. No.	DATE	ORDER	OFFICE NOTE
07.	02.02.2026	TRR, J
		This Writ Petition is disposed of. (Vide Separate Order)
		______ TRR, J JAK