Andhra Pradesh High Court - Amravati
Polipalli Srikar And Others vs Gogireddy Venkata Lakshmi And Others on 11 February, 2026
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APHC010136412024
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH
AT AMARAVATI [3545]
(Special Original Jurisdiction)
WEDNESDAY,THE TWENTY EIGHTH DAY OF JANUARY
TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE BATTU DEVANAND
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE A. HARI HARANADHA SARMA
WRIT APPEAL NO: 274/2024
Between:
Polipalli Srikar and Others ...APPELLANT(S)
AND
Gogireddy Venkata Lakshmi and Others ...RESPONDENT(S)
***
IA NO: 8 OF 2025
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
a. declare that the non-furnishing of certified copies of documents, affidavits,
annexures, reports, records and material placed on record in the above Writ
Appeal and batch matters, including those earlier produced or retained under
sealed cover, despite the express direction of this Hon'ble Court dated
15.12.2025, is illegal, unsustainable in law and contrary to the principles of
natural justice and consequently, direct the Registry of this Hon'ble Court to
forthwith furnish certified copies of all such documents, affidavits, annexures,
reports, records and or any other material placed on record by the Andhra
Pradesh Public Service Commission, in strict compliance with the order
dated 15.12.2025, Consequently, b. Be pleased to hold that in the absence of
any express judicial embargo, withholding of documents on the ground of
confidentiality or sealed cover after reopening of the appeals is impermissible,
being inconsistent with the law declared by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in
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Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd. V. Union of India, (2023) 13 SCC 401; c. Be
pleased to clarify that all material relied upon, referred to or taken on record
for the purpose of adjudication shall be made available to the
petitioners/appellants, so as to enable them to effectively assist this Hon'ble
Court in the reopened hearing; d. And/ or Pass
Counsel for the Appellant(S):
1. ANUP KOUSHIK KARAVADI
Counsel for the Respondent(S):
1. GP FOR SERVICES I
2. CHALASANI AJAY KUMAR
3. V VENKATA NAGA RAJU
4. GUTTA NAVEEN KUMAR
The Court made the following:
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THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE BATTU DEVANAND
And
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE A. HARI HARANADHA SARMA
I.A.No.8 of 2025 in
W.A.NO.274 OF 2024
ORDER :(Per Hon'ble Sri Justice Battu Devanand) I. Introductory:
Questioning the orders passed in a batch of Writ Petitions vide W.P.No.15701, 15757, 15765, 15844, 16646, 21894, 15745, 15758, 15806, 15750 of 2022, the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) and the selected candidates filed Writ Appeals Nos.258, 259, 269, 271, 274, 277, 279, 287, 314, 317, 318, 319, 338, 339, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 348, 349, 354, 357, 358, 360, 362, 363, 364, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 407, 420 and 442 of 2024.
2. After reserving the matters for judgment, the matters were posted for some clarification. At that stage, this application is filed by the appellants in W.A.No.274 of 2024.
3. This application is filed with the following prayers:
a. declare that the non-furnishing of certified copies of documents, affidavits, annexures, reports, records and material placed on record in the above Writ Appeal and batch matters, including those earlier produced or retained under sealed cover, despite the express direction of this Hon'ble Court dated 15.12.2025, is illegal, unsustainable in law and contrary to the principles of natural justice and consequently, direct the Registry of this Hon'ble Court to 4 forthwith furnish certified copies of all such documents, affidavits, annexures, reports, records and or any other material placed on record by the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission, in strict compliance with the order dated 15.12.2025, Consequently, b. Be pleased to hold that in the absence of any express judicial embargo, withholding of documents on the ground of confidentiality or sealed cover after reopening of the appeals is impermissible, being inconsistent with the law declared by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd. v. Union of India, (2023) 13 SCC 401:
c. Be pleased to clarify that all material relied upon, referred to or taken on record for the purpose of adjudication shall be made available to the petitioners/appellants, so as to enable them to effectively assist this Hon'ble Court in the reopened hearing;
d. And/or Pass such other or further order(s) as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the interests of justice.
Discussion and Reasoning:-
4. The aspects relevant, in brief, for considering the present application is as follows:-
i. Pointing out certain illegalities and irregularities by APPSC in the process of valuation of Group-I services, main examination, the Writ Petitions vide W.P.No.15701 of 2022 and batch, were filed seeking to declare the action of the Respondents in evaluating the performance of candidates in Main Written Examination held for Group I Services by Notification No.27/2018 dated 31.12.2018 of the 2nd Respondent -APPSC by adopting different standard of evaluation consequent up on passing of Judgment in WP Nos.11000 of 2021 and Batch dated 01.10.2021 and consequential 5 publication of results thereof on 26.05.2022 in the APPSC website as unconstitutional, arbitrary, illegal and consequently to set aside the same.
ii. The Writ Petitions were allowed by the learned Single Judge directing the APPSC to conduct Group-I (Mains) Examination afresh for Notification No.27/2018, on the grounds, inter alia others,
(a) There was more than one valuation against the Rules.
(b) The valuation was done at private place through private agency against the norms and the answer scripts were kept at private place for a period of more than 60 days, without proper authority.
(c) The entire valuation process is clouded with illegalities and irregularities.
(d) There is abnormal difference in the list of selected candidates between the valuation done through digital process and the physical process.
5. It is submitted across the bar that the document relied upon by the Public Service Commission has been supplied to the respective parties. The prayer in the present application is to supply the information submitted by APPSC under sealed cover and that the directions of this Court dated 15.12.2025 is to furnish every information. The information furnished under the sealed cover is relating to certain payments made in respect of spot evaluation. The APPSC claims that they are confidential. The information is pertaining to spot valuation Camp.
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6. The petitioners shall file affidavits stating the particulars of the documents they sought from the Registry by filing certified copy applications. The petitioners shall further furnish particulars of the documents which were not furnished to them even after filing certified copy applications.
7. The APPSC is directed to file further detailed affidavit as to how it is confidential and why it shall not be furnished.
List this application on 16.03.2026.
__________________________ JUSTICE BATTU DEVANAND __________________________________ JUSTICE A.HARI HARANADHA SARMA Dated: 11.02.2026 Pnr 7 THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE BATTU DEVANAND & THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE A. HARI HARANADHA SARMA I.A.NO.8 of 2025 in W.A.NO.274 OF 2024 Dt.11-02-2026 Pnr