Allowed

Borra Ramesh , Tillu v. The State of Telangana

Telangana HC12 Jun 2023WP/10272/2023

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

In this writ petition, the High Court of Telangana directed the police to close the rowdy sheet maintained against the petitioner, who had been acquitted in all pending cases. The Court held that maintaining the sheet without a pending case or specific threat to public order was not proper under the A.P. Police Manual standing orders.

What did the court decide?

Respondent police directed to close the Rowdy Sheet opened against the petitioner vide Rowdy Sheet No.1 of 2015 dated 20.10.2015.

Borra Ramesh , Tillu Vs The State of… — Constitutional and Fundamental Rights | Telangana HC (2023)

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[^32s6 ]

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HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction)

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IMONDAY, THE TWELFTH DAY OF JIJNE TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY THREE

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PRESENT

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THE HOT{'BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V, BHASKAR REDDY

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WRIT PETITION NO.102 72 0F 2023

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Between:

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Bona Ramesh @ Tillu, S/o. Maisaiah, aged 32 years Occ. Business, R/o. H.No 4- 4Bl26. Venkataramana Colony, lbrahimpatnani Village, lbrahimpatnam Mandal, Ranga Reddy District-sO1506.

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..PETITIONER

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AND

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1 The State of Telangana,- R-ep. by its Principal Secretai.y. Home Department, Secretariat Hyderabad-500022.

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2 The Direclor General of Polrce, State of Telangana DGp Office, Lakidikapool, Hyderabad-500004

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3 The Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda, Vayupuri Colony, Beside Malka1giri Court Complex, Neredmet-500056.

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4 The Deputy Commissioner of Police, L.B. Nagar, Hyderabad- 500023

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5 The Assistant Commissioner of Police, lbrahimpatnam Mandal, Ranga Reddy District -501506

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6ThEStation House Officer, lbrahimpatnam Station, At. lbrahimpatnam Village andM andal, Ranga Reddy District-s01506.

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...RESPONDENTS

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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 nature of Writ of Mandamus, declaring the action of the respondents in not closing the rowdy sheet opened in respect of the petitioner on 20.10.2015 vide in the List of RowdySheeters Board in the Police Station of the 6th Respondent without rssuing any

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Notice or conducting any enquiry, as illegal, arbitrary, violative of principles of natural JUStice and also violatron of Articles 14,21 and 300-,4 of the Constitution of India and consequently direct the Respondents to close the rowdy Board in the Police Stat,on of the 6th Respondent. and award damages to the Petitioners in the Police Station.

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lA NO: 1 OF 2023

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Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit frled in support of the petrtron, the High Court may be pleased to direct the 6th rs5pe66s6t not to call the petitioner to the Police Statron frequentty and make them to srt for hours together pursuant to the rowdy sheet opened against the petitioner vide Rowdy Sheet No.^'1l2015 dated 20.10 2015 and by closing the rowdy sheet and removing the photographs pasted on the notice board of the 6th respondent forthwith, pending disposal of the writ petition.

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Counsel for the Petitioner: SRI CHILPIREDDY NARSIREDDY

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Counsel for the Respondents: GP FOR HOME

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The Court made the following: ORDER

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'TIIE IION'BLI.I SRI .II.JS'I'ICE C.V. BIIASKAIT ITEDI)Y wl{ l'I'PFll'Il'lON No.10272^{<tt 2023}

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onDlili.:

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'l'his Writ Pctition is filed sccl<ing to dcclarc thc actitrn ol'the rcspondents irt^{not closing thc rowdv sheet,which u'as} opcned againsl the^{petitioneron 20.10'2015,and also} er li ibitin tr thc^{photographs oi thc petitioner-in the list ol'} lltru,dr -Slt;ctct's lluard^{irl thc rcsponclcnt l.l-o.6-I'olicc Station'} uithor-rt ir;suirtg anv notice^{and conclucting cnquirl', as illegall} ancl arbitmry' and^{againstthe principlesol natural} .iLrsticc^and r,iolation ol' tl-rc riglits^{gtlaratltecd undcr Articlcs l'1, 2l anci} i00-A ol'the Consritrrtion^{ol'India and consecluently,Lo direct} thc rcspondents to^{close thc' rorvdy sheet opened againslhinl} arrd renrovc hi.s^{photographsfiorrl thc list ol I(owdy-Sheeters} Iloard in the respondcrlt^{No.6 - Police Station.}

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'lhc petitioner clainls to be a perlnanent resident of Ibr.ahimpatnarn viltagc.^{It is the osse of the pctitiorrcr that hc} was lalscly implicatecl^{in C.C'No.570 o1'2015on thc file o1'the} lcarnecl lV Mctropolitarl^{ir{agistrirtc, Cyberabad'al}

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,€a r'.

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)

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Ibrahinttrratrrr,r. Ila,ga l{cdcl1, I)istt.ict, rcgister.eci ibr the oflences Piinishabie trndcr. Secrions 44g. il4 and Izli rcacl lvith Sccriorr.j.l IIr(, arrd in C.C.N o.474 ot20l-5 on rhc filc ol. the learned lV X.lcrroltoliran Magistr.alc, C).berabad. for tlic offence pirnrshablc unrier Scction .l-5-l read rvith Sec:tion i4 IPC. It is his firrlher c:rse that he was acquittcd in both the saicl cases and tltcrc arc rto cascs perrding against hirn as o, crate. f'hc main -e,ricva11gc ol. lltc Pctitioncr is thal c,,.clr tlrou._Qh there are no crrinlirtal crrscs llenrlirr-e against hinr, the rcspC)ndcnt police w-itrr a 'rara /izlc' irrlcrrir, ar'-- co,tinuirg trrc rowar,, sheet agairrst Itirn ancl drJo r.l (,,,..,.,;r^. ue to surveillancc, he is lircing rnuch tnconvenience arrd hardship kr ic.rcl a respecrable and dignified lifb in the Socre ty

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Ilesponderrt No.(r lnspect<lr of police. Ibrahimpatnarl Police Station, has lilcd a colltr.er affidavit stating rhar the petitioner is young and activc and contrnuously indulging in the commission of lalvless acts ltvoh,ing brcach of public

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peace and fanquility. IIe has hrrther. stated that there was *_involvement^{of the petitioner} in C..irne No.2-lg of 2015 on the

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lllc ol' Ibrahimpatnam Police Station, registered^{l'or the olfence} punishablc undcr Section 353 read with Section 34 tPC^and C'.C.No.474 o1'20 l5 arising out^o1 the^{said crinic has becn} ended l acqr-rittal vide order dated^{21.02.2018and the} petitioner u,as also involr,cd in^{Crime No.266 of 2015 on the} flle ol'Ibrahimpatnarn Police Station,^{registered for the} ol'i-cnccs punishable undel^{Sections 448 and 324 read with} Seotion l+ IPC and C.C.No.510^{of 2015 arising out of the said} criurc u'as also ended ln acquittal vide^{judgmentdated} -1^{I.0i.2015. t{e has further stated that to curb and curtail thc} unlawlul activitics of^{tlre petitioner,a rowdysheet wasopened} against l.rim to^{watch his movements from time to tirne in the} publio interest.

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Lcarned counsel for the^{petitioner has submitted that as} against the acquittal^{judgmentspassed by the competent} Co\rts, the State has not^{filed any appeal and as on date,there} are no cases pending^{against the petitioner andtherefore,} prayed to close thc^{ror.l'dyshcet openedagainst the petitioner'} In supporl oI his^{subrnission, l.re has relied uponthe iudgments}

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'.''T:fl

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'\o )A_27) ot 2A.) a,

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ltt I([s12ft Singh v. Statc of Ii.l). and othersr itncl Vija1, Narain Singh v Statc of Bihar:. l nhich, the Apcx Court held that openrng of rowdy shcct and continiring thc sanrc rryithout anv valid reason wor-ild nol chlrlactcrizcr a pc!-son that he is habitually in volving in conrrniss ion o I. olfences.

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He has further. rcliecl orr thc .juclgnrcrrts Itl Srrnkara Satyanarayana r,. S(afc of .,\nrlhra pradesh j; B. Satvanarayana Itcddy v. Statc o[ Andhra prarlosh{; N{ajid I}abu v, Governmcnt of Antlhra l,rarlcshs; Kanrma llapuji v. Sfation lfousc Ofliccr, Brahmasarn urlra rn,,. Ile has l urther icliecl on the judgmerrt in Puttagu nla lrasi r,. Cornmissioncr of Potice. VijayawadaT, in which, the Division Bcnch has specifically observed that a rowdy sheet could nol bc opcned against an individual in a casual arrd rnecharrical nranner and dlre cale and caution should bc takcn by the policc bcfbre charac terizing a person as a rotvdy.

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'^ntR 1963 SC n9s t atR I984 SC r334 o20I 2ooo04((I) l) ALD AI-D (Crt(Crt ) 1t7 (AP)

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5 t987(2) ALr 904 ) 387 (^P) ol 997(6) ALD 58j 998(3) Ar_1. -j5 (DB)

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CViJir r \ ? ! i027-2 oi^).1r.l

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I{e has also relied on the^{jLrdgrrent in Ycrramsctti}

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Venugopal Rao r'. Statc of^{AndhraPradesh and others8,in} which, thc lcarnetl Sin-elc^{.ludge of Iligh Courl ol Andhra} Pradcsh^r.t'hilc rclirrirtg^{to the Standing Ordersof A P' Police} Manual and thc^{principleslaid down in the catena of} judgrnents hcld that historl'shcet of a rowdy^{can be continucd} (i) ii the activities arc^{pre.ludicial to the maintenanceof public} order or af1'ccting^{pcace arld tranquility in the area; ii) tlie} victims at'e lrot^{contingtbrward to give cornplaintagainsthim} on accoutlt ol threat^{lioni hirn.}

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It is apt to rcf-er to^{the relevant Standing Orders of A'P'} Police Manual.

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Maintenance of^{rowdysheets is governedby Standing} Order No.601 of^{A.P. Police Manual, Part-I,Volume Il, which} reads as under:

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"601. Tlrc fottouting^{personsmay be classtfied os rowdies} and Routdg Sheets^{(Form80) maA be opened} for^{them under} the orders oJ'the^{SP/ DCP and ACP/ SDPO'}

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t 2o2o1z1 irt-o 1t,t ) loJ3 (AP)

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4.^persons Lulto l[tbtl Lt ( i)ntnttt. (tr,ait/)| ro ca|tt||ttt or abet Ihe rorrrrrrr,rr.'"'! c[/i';rces it1t1tl11111;1 a ltn'riclt (r th.e peace, dirturt n,,),.qf it. persons oorrr, ,,,,1,1t|.'.t|u,;ilrc _ot cter uttr,r secttnty. t oc:' t07 l os(1) (i) an(l , , no,, ,,,,) ,i,j',,1r'..,:::"""" (-'. ./,er.sorrs u.tlttt hq;,e 1.,('ottt'tcfed mrtr:, rhctrt art.e m ttlt() co,seetrr,,,a- ,)r'''" Litt(ler sectiotts ''9 and 7o of lrte I Iyclerabao ,.i,i,",'" lct or utkiel. sect[o1. 3, crctuse l2. ortn. at, r,.r.,ll^icP -]tr,/.sarce.s 4(.r D.^perscr.s LLtrto Ln[.tttitn, i('ts(' u'ort?n ortd 91trrs artd pass ,1decen.t ,,,r,,r,:::.

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I;_ persons uLL() ultutti(l t),!/ trtk,ets t)r tts? of ph!/sicnr ,r*,o" or' ,,'),,(:.te trrtlotr',fit1 ntc'ars ro J)ot1 ut[th nouable or rnr,,nrr",,,r,r)r,,' oJ coltectin.gl monea brl e'\€'l''tol)er1k's ctr ut tlrc habit r t rro n L s i () p k e e p e rs), t r a d e rs a, 1 (1 o i he.,i r', ori,i! "', "'

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C. Perslng uho tncile;_;tri utstiltQte ('ont tt Llt!Qi// ( ..sl? or political nots. H. Persons cleltrined trttcle " t^ P j' re t * t t t i o n rtJ nans erous r",,r,r,"-." ;"';:' -- .," "' orfen ders. Goo,, d.,r,,,:,,,,,,,,j"' |^{"!.t" t'; t )u c' tt ts.} t )n t (t Lo,d Grabbers;;,;:;:';:'^{rrtr/i, otlert.t,ts .1n)} morer 't pcno(l rtf 6 ntortlhs or

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I. Persons utho are conLticte offent:es lttuler the Representatiues oi ,li""it"ro "r ,!,ne ooa o.;,.; ;;;::,';.nn,,*',ru ono polling material,,,

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Fur-ther, the period of retention of histor_v sheets of

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s uspects/rowdies is goveflted b) Standing Order No.602 of t'o'^{ou,l,." Manuar and} the sanrc' reads as follou,s

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. !-/

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C\ L] ii J '. P'i! lO?72 ,r lll2il

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|.1

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"602 l. Histonl Shee/.s o/-sll.spc.t.s -shall bc, rnaintained front^{lhe dot? olt ellistn} on up Lo tlte end of December, ofter Luhich tlLc orclers ol e gazelted off.cer es to their discontinuatt<.e or ret?ntiotl for e litrllrcr periorl shall be oblatned.

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Merely br:r:ause a suspect/ rowciy, heuitlg o ltistory sheel, is not fLqunrry as accu-sr:d in the preuious S gears a"fter the last ces? in whiclt he tucts irtuoLued, tt should not practude the SI|/DCP/CP to continue hts history sheet { SP/ DClr/ CP is of tlrc consicjered uieu.t that his actiuities are prqudicial to the mantenance of public order or one aJlectitg peacc and tranquiltitg in the area or tlLe uiclins Qre nol contitLg forLDarcl to giue conelaint aguulsl ltinL on accounl oJ'threat Jiorn him.,,

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Standing Ortler No.7-{l of A.P. Police Manual deals with

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the classification ol- ro\r,dies alld opetriug ol rowdy sheets and

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the same is exlracted bclorv:

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"742. Rotudies:- (1) 1'he folloulitq persotls mag be classifted as roudies and Rou.tdg Sheets (Fonn 88) may be operrcd for tlrcm under the order of the Superintende.nt of Police or Sub diuisional Offrcer: (a) persons tuho habtuullg commil, ouernpl to commit or abet tlt" comrnl.s-sion of, offences inuo[uing a breach ofthe peace;

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(b) persons bound ouer under Secttotls 106, 1OZ, 108(c) and 11O(1) of the Code of Criminat Procedure, 1973 (Act No.2 of 1974);

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(c) persons u.)ho haue been conuicted more than once in tuo consecLttiue gears urtder Section 75 of the Madras CitA Poltce Act or under Section 3, clause 12, of the Towns Nuisances^Act;

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. . Lt)2; ). )t )t))-\

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/,ll lx'rsons tuho ltt tbttuoll tcttst' 11111n;1,, rrrt4 etrts by pa.s.sirts tnde"",:,-;:;;;',r: or orrtc'nr t.;t. ctrtcr re) it ttrc ca.>^e of rotudies ,ks Q',trt'.I 11nd(,t' one porice statrctl r)ut orj'""'""'Itt to b(' r'r(,.rt1(,rrrll uLSitrlg the ere, urder o',,-,'-o""'' or rrt<t11' tttlte'r Police strrtiorts n** ,r*rru"ln.qr1e aI such *r.. '(;e's^ce,?r)e nLet:t.t r(rin e(r el "rrr'i"ri',' (G O. Ms. No. 656. Itome / loTl) Pttlr" l)1 lh l' t)t- 6 I (2) [nslruch.ons it Ort / ),5 ti ltr-rrdrrg dis.ortiruatlcc o1 ,,oro,r"!lt' Routdy sheets . '" v 'ttt'cl'\ :lnll ql.;n ol)l)ltt to

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lrr the present case, as pcr the c()ultlcr._ a lllclai it. there are I1o cascs pcnding agairrst thc pelitioncr as on dzr le to rnarntain the rowdy sheet or to keep surveill ancc cllt tltc ac tr vities of the petitioner I l.l anv fitanncr. ilo!r,cver, tl is rrot thc case ol'lhe respondents that the petitioner is a habitual olfclder and there r.s every possibility of threat to the public at I :u'ge. Fur.ther, the respondents have not given an-v specific rnstance of the peti tioner,s rnvol vement rn the colnnrission oI. offcnce subsequent to the acquiftal judgments passed b,v thc competent Courls.

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In vrew ol lhe above and inasmuch as ln thc catena of cases, the Courls are consistently directing thc policc to

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C\ tsii J i\ ! ,, 10272 oI20).1

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ntaintairl rhe rorvdl, sheet ;rs per tllc Standing Orders of A.p. Police Manual, this Court is ol.thc oltinion that the aclion of 1hc r.espondent police in uraintaininq thc rou,dy shcet against the petitioner evcn thouqh no casc is pcnding against him cannot be said to be proper.

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-l'herefore, the responclcrrt police are directed to close the rowdy sheet opened againsr thc: pctitioner. r,lde Rowd.y Sheet No.l of 2015 dated 20.10.201-5. lt is needless ro observe rhat if the petitioner involves in an1. crinre in tLrture and ilthere is any sufJlcient material to cstabli.sh tltat his rlrovenrcnts are requirecl lo be prevented, thc respondc;tt poliec are at libefiy to takc actron against him striotly in accordance with the Sranding Orders of A.p. police Manual.

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Accordingly, this Writ Petirion i.s allowed.

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Miscellaneous applications, il any pcnding, shall stand

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closed. There shall be no orclcr as to costs.

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To,

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SD/.A.V.S. PRASAD ASSISTANT REGISTRAR /iTRUE COPY// cb SECTION OFFICER

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