Disposed¶25

Mohammad Aqhil, v. The State of Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh HC10 Mar 2026WP/6805/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Village Revenue Officer Gr-II promotion seniority list 2025-26 marked Ineligible pendency of ACB trap case suspension 05.08.2023 charge sheet 30.06.2025 reinstatement 18.01.2025 consideration for promotion G.O.Ms.No.257 General Administration (Ser.C) Department 10.06.1999 zone of consideration DPC disposed at admission stage no costs Article 226 mandamus Krishna district NTR district Andhra Pradesh

What did the court decide?

Direction to the respondents to consider the case of the petitioner for promotion strictly in accordance with G.O.Ms.No.257, General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999, if the petitioner is within the zone of consideration, whenever the DPC is conducted; no order as to costs; miscellaneous petitions, if any, pending in the writ petition stand closed. ¶25

Mohammad Aqhil, Vs The State of Andhra Pradesh — Writ and Judicial Review | Andhra Pradesh HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the action of the respondents in showing the petitioner as 'Ineligible' in the Final Seniority List of VROs (Gr-II) 2025-26 published dated 17.02.2026 is illegal and arbitrary, warranting that it be set aside. +2 more

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Ratio / Principle

Without entering into the merits of the matter, and with the consent of both sides, the Writ Petition is disposed of at the stage of admission, directing the respondents to consider the petitioner's case for promotion strictly in accordance with G.O.Ms.No.257, General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999, if he falls within the zone of consideration, whenever the DPC is conducted.

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Key takeaways

There shall be no order as to costs.ratio¶25

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati (Justice D Ramesh), Order dated 11.03.2026 in Writ Petition No. 6805/2026 — Mohammad Aqhil v. State of Andhra Pradesh (Revenue Department) and others. The petitioner, a Village Revenue Officer (Gr-II) appointed through regular selection (joined 26.11.2019), was trapped by the ACB on 27.07.2023, suspended vide proceedings dated 05.08.2023, charge-sheeted on 30.06.2025 for alleged demand of bribe, filed an explanation denying the allegations, and was reinstated vide proceedings dated 18.01.2025. Despite reinstatement, his name was shown as 'Ineligible' in the Final Seniority List of VROs (Gr-II) 2025-26 published on 17.02.2026 owing to pendency of the ACB case. At hearing, counsel confined the prayer to a direction that the petitioner be considered for promotion in terms of G.O.Ms.No.257, General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999; the learned Government Pleader, on instructions, undertook that the petitioner's case would be considered if he fell within the zone of consideration, subject to the G.O.'s conditions. Without going into the merits, the Court disposed of the petition at the stage of admission, directing consideration for promotion strictly per that G.O. whenever the DPC is conducted, if the petitioner is within the zone of consideration; no order as to costs; miscellaneous petitions closed.

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APHC010123622026

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

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[3208]

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WEDNESDAY,THE ELEVENTH DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX

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PRESENT

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THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH

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WRIT PETITION NO: 6805/2026

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Between:

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MOHAMMAD AQHIL,, S/O MOHAMMAD ABDULLA, AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS WORKING AS VILLAGE REVENUE OFFICER (GR-LL), R/O. 1-22, MAZEED ROAD, NEAR ANDHRA BANK, PEDDA ONGOLE, KRISHNA-521245.

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...PETITIONER

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AND

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THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, THROUGH THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI GUNTUR DISTRICT-522238.

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THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF LAND ADMINISTRATION, GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH, VIJAYAWADA, NTR DISTRICT 520011

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THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, KRISHNA DISTRICT. CHILAKALAPUDI, MACHILIPATNAM-521002.

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THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, N.T.R.DISTRICT, VIJAYAWADA520001.

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...RESPONDENT(S):

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The Court made the following ORDER:

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This Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following relief:

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“to issue an appropriate Writ, Order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of MANDAMUS declaring the action of the respondents in showing the petitioner as Ineligible in the Final Seniority List of VROs (Gr-il) 2025-26 that was published dated 17.02.2026, as illegal and arbitrary, and set aside the same and consequently direct the Respondents to consider the case of the petitioner for promotion and all consequential service benefits in accordance with G.O.Ms. No.257 dated 10-061999, and pass such….”

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Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for the respondents.

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The case of the petitioner is that he was appointed as Village Revenue Officer (Gr-II) pursuant to regular selection and joined duty as per proceedings dated 26.11.2019. Subsequently, he was placed under suspension vide proceedings dated 05.08.2023 consequent to a trap conducted by the ACB authorities on 27.07.2023, and a charge sheet dated 30.06.2025 was filed alleging demand of bribe. The petitioner submits that he has filed his explanation denying the allegations. Though the petitioner was placed under suspension, he was later reinstated into service vide proceedings dated 18.01.2025. However, in the Final Seniority List of VROs (Gr-II) for the year 2025–26 dated 17.02.2026 , the petitioner’s name was shown as “Ineligible” on the ground of pendency of the ACB

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case. Therefore, declaring the petitioner as ineligible solely on the ground of pendency of the case, without conviction or conclusion of departmental proceedings, is illegal and arbitrary, hence the writ petition.

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At the time of hearing, the learned counsel for the petitioner confined his submissions to a limited prayer, seeking a direction to the respondents to consider the case of the petitioner for promotion in terms of G.O.Ms.No.257, General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999.

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The learned Government Pleader appearing for the respondents, on instructions, submitted that the respondents would consider the case of the petitioner, if he falls within the zone of consideration, subject to his fulfilling all the conditions prescribed under the said G.O.

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Given the facts and circumstances of the case, and without going into the merits of the matter, the Writ Petition is disposed of at the stage of admission with the consent of both the learned counsel, directing the respondents to consider the case of the petitioner for promotion strictly in accordance with G.O.Ms.No.257, General Administration (Ser.C) Department, dated 10.06.1999, if the petitioner is within the zone of consideration, whenever the DPC is conducted. There shall be no order as to costs.

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Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in the writ

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petition shall stand closed.

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JUSTICE D RAMESH 11.03.2026 klk

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THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH

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WRIT PETITION NO: 6805/2026

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