V Anandababu Vs The State of Andhra Pradesh — Writ and Judicial Review | Andhra Pradesh HC (2026)

V Anandababu Vs The State of Andhra Pradesh — Writ and Judicial Review | Andhra Pradesh HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Respondents directed to consider the petitioners' case for extending payment of minimum time scale in terms of State of Punjab vs. Jagjit Singh and Others within two months from receipt of a copy of the order; Writ Petition disposed of with no costs and pending miscellaneous petitions closed.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioners, working as last grade employees on a daily wage basis for several years in the 3rd respondent Municipality (Piduguralla Municipality), are entitled to the benefit of minimum of the time scale in the Revised Pay Scales issued from time to time along with arrears, as per the law laid down in State of Punjab v. Jagjit Singh and Sabashankar Dubey v. Divisional Forest Officer.

Court's answer

Without going into the merits of the case, the respondents are directed to consider the case of the petitioners for extending payment of minimum time scale in terms of the judgment rendered by the Hon'ble Apex Court in State of Punjab vs. Jagjit Singh and Others.

Ratio / Principle

The said consideration is to be completed within a period of two (02) months from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

ANDHRA PRADESH HIGH COURT (Special Original Jurisdiction), Amaravati — Writ Petition No. 7351 of 2023 — D Ramesh, J. — Decided 11.02.2026. Service law / Constitutional law — Writ of Mandamus under Article 226 of the Constitution of India — Thirteen last grade employees (sweepers, drain cleaners, watchman, borewell mechanic-cum-helper, sanitary worker) of Piduguralla Municipality, Palnadu District, working on daily wage basis for several years and continuing in the said capacity — sought declaration that the respondents' action in not extending the benefit of minimum of the time scale in the Revised Pay Scales issued from time to time, along with arrears, is illegal, arbitrary and violative of principles of natural justice, relying on State of Punjab vs. Jagjit Singh, 2017 (1) SCC 148, and Sabashankar Dubey Vs. Divisional Forest Officer, 2019 (12) SCC 297 — Held: Without going into the merits of the case, respondents directed to consider the petitioners' case for extending payment of minimum time scale in terms of the judgment in State of Punjab vs. Jagjit Singh within two (02) months from the date of receipt of a copy of the order — Writ Petition disposed of; no costs; pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, closed.

APHC010144152023

[3208]

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

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

PRESENT

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH

WRIT PETITION NO: 7351/2023

Between:

V ANANDABABU, S/O RATNAM, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, WORKING AS SANITARY MASTERY.

SMT.P.VARDHANAMMA, W/O VENKATESWARLU, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, WORKING AS SWEEPER.

M.KOTESWARA RAO, S/O INNEYA, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, WORKING AS SWEEPER.

M.NARAYANA, S/O SAIDULU, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, WORKING AS SWEEPER.

SMT.SK.SAIDABEE, W/O HUMMAR, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, WORKING AS SWEEPER.

K.HADDULU, S/O KOTAIAH, AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS, WORKING AS SWEEPER.

CH.CHINNA NAGESWAR RAO, S/O BHADRAIAH, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, WORKING AS SWEEPER.

K.VENKATESWARLU, S/O NAGULU, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, WORKING AS SWEEPER.

SK.MASTHAN VALI, S/O LAL AHMED, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, WORKING AS DRAIN CLEANER.

N.SARATH BABU, S/O RAMAIAH, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, WORKING AS WATCHMAN.

K.YEDUKONDALU, S/O ADINARAYANA, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, WORKING AS BOREWELL MECHANIC-CUUMHELPER.

SMT.K.ROSAMMA, W/O KOTILINGAM, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, WORKING AS SWEEPER

CH.VENKATA RAO, S/O KOTAIAH, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, WORKING AS DRAIN CLEANER. (ALL ARE WORKING IN PIDUGURALLA MUNICIPALITY, PALNADU DIST

...PETITIONER(S)

AND

THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP.BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, MA AND UD DEPARTMENT, VELAGAPUDI, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR DIST

THE COMMISSIONER AND DIRECTOR OF MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION, GORANTLA, GUNTUR DISTRICT.

THE PIDUGURALLA MUNICIPALITY, PIDUGURALLA, PALNADU DISTRICT, REP.BY ITS COMMISSIONER.

...RESPONDENT(S):

The Court made the following ORDER:

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

“to issue Writ Order or Direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus by declaring the action of the respondents in not extending the benefit of minimum of the time scale in the Revised Pay Scales issued from time to time along with arrears is illegal, arbitrary and also voilative of the principles of natural justice and consequently direct the respondents to extend the benefit of minimum of the time scale in the Revised Pay Scales issued from time to time along with arrears as per the law laid down by the Honourable Supreme Court in Jagjith Singh Case Reported in 2017 (1) SCC 148 and also in the case Sabashankar Dubey Vs. Divisional Forest Officer 2019 (12) SCC 297 and pass…”

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

The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners have been working as last grade employees on a daily wage basis for several years in the 3^rd respondent Municipality and are continuing to work in the said capacity; however, they have not been extended the benefit of the minimum time scale of pay. Hence the Writ Petition is filed seeking extension of minimum time scale of pay as attached to the said post and

placed reliance on law laid down by the Hon’ble Apex Court in State of

Punjab vs. Jagjit Singh and Others¹ .

Learned Government Pleader appearing on behalf of the respondents submitted that the Court may pass appropriate orders.

Considering the submissions, without going into the merits of the case, the respondents are directed to consider the case of the petitioner for extending payment of minimum time scale in terms of the judgment rendered by the Hon’ble Apex Court in State of Punjab vs. Jagjit Singh

and Others within a period of two (02) months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

With the above observations, the Writ Petition is disposed of. No costs.

Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in the writ petition shall stand closed.

JUSTICE D RAMESH

11.02.2026 klk

1 (2017) 1 SCC 148

159

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH

WRIT PETITION NO: 7351/2023

11.02.2026 klk