M/S Sri Svr Constructions Vs the State of… — Writ and Judicial Review | Andhra Pradesh HC (2026)

M/S Sri Svr Constructions Vs the State of… — Writ and Judicial Review | Andhra Pradesh HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Respondents directed to verify and release the payments due and payable to the petitioner (pending bills totalling Rs. 1,03,35,135/-) as expeditiously as possible, preferably within eight (08) weeks from receipt of a copy of the order; no order as to costs; pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, stood closed. The prayed-for interest @ 24% per annum was not separately addressed in the disposal order.

Issue for consideration

Whether the action of the respondents in withholding the pending payments of Rs. 1,03,35,135/- (finalized and approved bills) payable to the petitioner for works executed under Agreement No.60/2023-24 is bad, illegal, arbitrary, improper, unjust and against Article 21 of the Constitution, and whether the respondents should be directed to pay the amounts (with interest @ 24% per annum as prayed).

Court's answer

The writ petition is disposed of at the admission stage, with a direction to the respondents to verify and release the payments due and payable to the petitioner as expeditiously as possible.

Ratio / Principle

The release of payments is to be effected preferably within a period of eight (08) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.

Key takeaways

No order as to costs.ratio¶40
Pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed.ratio¶41

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Municipal contractor arrears - Writ of Mandamus (Article 226). The petitioner-contractor completed construction of internal C.C roads, C.C drains and culverts in the 47th Division of Kakinada Municipal Corporation vide Agreement No.60/2023-24, 15.03.2024; the competent authority approved the payments due, entries being made in the M-Book. The respondents' withholding of pending payments of Rs. 1,03,35,135/- was challenged as arbitrary and contrary to Article 21. On the Standing Counsel's submission that the bills were approved for clearance, Government funds had been (partly) released for outstanding contractor bills, the dues were admitted and further funds were awaited, the Court, disposing of the writ petition at the admission stage, directed the respondents to verify and release the payments due and payable to the petitioner as expeditiously as possible, preferably within eight (08) weeks from receipt of a copy of the order. No order as to costs; pending miscellaneous petitions closed. The prayer for interest at 24% per annum was not specifically granted or addressed in the order.

[3457]

Date of reserved for orders : Date of pronouncement : 07.07.2026 Date of uploading :

APHC010157782026

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

TUESDAY, THE 7^th DAY OF JULY 2026

PRESENT

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE HARINATH.N

WRIT PETITION NO: 8470/2026

Between:

M/S SRI SVR CONSTRUCTIONS, REP. BY.ITS MANAGING PARTNER, SEELAM CHALAPATHI RAO S/O.NAGABUSANAM, AGE. 55 YEARS, R/O. 08-03-21 ,PALAVARI VEEDI, GANDHI NAGAR,KAKINADA(URBAN) GANDHINAGAR(KKD),EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT.

...PETITIONER

AND

THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADSEH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, SECRETARIAT BUILDING, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR.522238

THE KAKINADA MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, REP.BY ITS COMMISSIONER,KAKINADA KAKINADA DISTRICT.533001

EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, KAKINADA MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, KAKINADA DISTRICT.533001

THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND PLANNING, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 522238

2

...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 an appropriate Writ Order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the Respondents in withholding the payments of pending amounts of Rs. 1,03,35,135/- (Rupees One Crore Three Lakhs, Thirty Five Thousand One Hundred and Thirty Five only) even after finalizing the bills payable to the petitioner in relation to the works i.e I. Construction of Internal C.C Roads,C.C Drains and Culverts in S.Atchuthapuram to D.No.66-10- 25,Ambedkar statue to D.No.66-1025,D.No.66-10-31/1 to Street ending ,Anjaneya swami temple Road Ambedkar statue main Road of 47th Division of KMC, Agreement no.60/2023-24,15.03.2024 for the year 2023 as bad .illegal, arbitrary, improper, unjust and against the Article 21 of constitution of India and consequently direct the respondents to pay the amounts of Rs. 1,03,35,135/(Rupees One Crore Three Lakhs, Thirty Five Thousand One Hundred and Thirty Five only) with interest @ 24percent per annum for the delayed amount till date of realization for the works executed by the petitioner and pass

IA NO: 1 OF 2026

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 to direct the respondents to releasing the amounts Rs. 1,03,35,135/- (Rupees One Crore Three Lakhs, Thirty Five Thousand One Hundred and Thirty Five only) payable to him, pending disposal of the write petition and pass

Counsel for the Petitioner:

1.DEVASRI ROSHAN KANCHARLA

Counsel for the Respondent(S):

1.M Krishna Rao SC for skl vzm kkd Municipal Corporations

2.GP MUNCIPAL ADMN AND URBAN DEV AP

3.GP FOR FINANCE PLANNING

The Court made the following:

3

Order:-

The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner was entrusted with the work of Construction of Internal C.C Roads, C.C Drains and Culverts in S.Atchuthapuram to D.No.66-10-25, Ambedkar statue to D.No.66-10-25, D.No.66-10-31/1 to Street ending, Anjaneya swami temple Road Ambedkar statue main Road of 47^th Division of KMC, vide Agreement No.60/2023-24, 15.03.2024.

It is submitted that the petitioner had completed the work entrusted to him and that the competent authority of the respondents had also approved the payments due and payable to the petitioner. The respondents have also recorded the progress of the work and the amounts due and payable to the petitioner in the M-Book.

Heard the submissions of the learned counsel for the petitioner, the learned Government Pleader for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department, Sri M. Krishna Rao, learned Standing Counsel for the respondent corporation and the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Finance and Planning.

During the course of hearing, the learned Standing Counsel appearing for the respondent corporation, on written instructions, submits that the bills were approved for clearance, that funds were also released by the Government for clearing the outstanding bills of the contractors, and that the amounts due and payable to the petitioner have been duly admitted. It is

4

submitted that further funds are awaited and that, soon after the release of the

funds, the bills due and payable to the petitioner shall be cleared.

Recording the submissions, this writ petition is disposed of at the admission stage, directing the respondents to verify and release the payments due and payable to the petitioner as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of eight (08) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this

order. There shall be no order as to costs.

Pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed.

____________________

JUSTICE HARINATH.N 07.07.2026 PNS

Whether the order is:

Speaking	Reasoned	`☑`
Reportable	Non-reportable	`☑`