Andhra Pradesh High Court - Amravati
Gavara Kanaka Rao vs The Eastern Power Distribution Company ... on 19 January, 2026
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(SHOW CAUSE NOTICE BEFORE ADMISSION)
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATf
(SPECIAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION)
MONDAY, THE NINETEENTH DAY OF JANUARY '
TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX
: PRESENT:
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE BATTU DEVANAND
AND
THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE KIRANMAYEE MANDAVA
WRIT PETITION NO: 20982 OF 2025
Between:
1. Gavara Kanaka Rao, S/o. Demudu, Age: 48 years, Occ: Lineman, O/o.
the Assistant Engineer (O), Pendurthy Section, Pendurthy VilAge:, Post
& Mandal, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-531173.
2. Balireddi Govardhana Kalyana Rao, S/o. Apparao, Age; 45 years, Occ:
Lineman, O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Gopala Patnam Rural Section,
33/11 K.V. Sub Station, Virat Nagar, Near Simhachalam Road,
Prahaladhapuram, Chinna Gadili Mandal, Visakhapatnam District,
Andhra Pradesh,
3. Ganesh Maharana, S/o. Labo Maharana, Age: 45 years, Occ: Lineman,
O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Gopala Patnam Rural Section, 33/11 K.V.
Sub Station, Virat Nagar, Near Simhachalam Road, Prahaladhapuram ,
Chinna Gadili Mandal, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh.
4. Bheesetti M Naidu, S/o. Apparao Age: 44 years, Occ; Lineman, O/o. the
Assistant Engineer (O), AP EPDCL, Pendurthi Section, Pendurthi
VillAge:, Post & Mandal, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-
531173.
5. Majji Narasinga Rao, S/o. Maha Lakshmi, Age: 44 years, Occ: Assistant
Lineman, O/o. the Assistant Engineer (O), AP EPDCL, Pendurthi
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Section, Pendurthi Post & Mandal, 33/11 K.V. Sub Station,
Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-531173.
6. Kona Ravi Kishore, S/o. Rayappa, Age: 44 years, Occ: Assistant
Lineman, O/o. the Assistant Engineer (O), AP EPDCL, Madhurawada
Section, Madhurawada, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-
530048.
Petitioner/s
AND
1. The Eastern Power Distribution Company of AP Ltd., Rep. by its
Chairman & Managing Director, P & T Colony, Seethammadhara,
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
2. The Chief General ManAge;r (HRD), AP EPDCL, P & T Colony,
Seethammadhara, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh-517503.
3. The Superintending Engineer (O), AP EPDCL, Visakhapatnam
Operation Circle, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
4. The Executive Engineer (O), AP EPDCL, Zone-Ill Operation Division,
Madhurawada, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
5. Undi Sathibabu, S/o. not known. Age: not known, Occ: Lineman (ID
1073435), O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Thatithuru Section, 33/11 KV
Sub-Station, Chittivalasa, Bhimili Mandal, Visakhapatnam, Andhra
Pradesh-531162.
6. N. Suresh Babu, S/o. not known! Age: not known, Occ: Lineman (ID
1073483), O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Chittivalasa Section, 33/11 KV
Sub-Station, Chittivalasa, Bhimili Mandal, Visakhapatnam, Andhra
Pradesh-531162.
7. D. Issac Babu, S/o. not known. Age: not known, Occ: Lineman (ID
1074015), O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Vepagunta Section, R.R.V.
Puram, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-530029.
8. G Venkata Rao, S/o. not known. Age: not known, Occ: Lineman (ID
1074024) O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Gopalapatnam Town Section,
R.R.V. Puram, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-530029.
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9. P. Bhavani Prasad Raju, S/o. not known. Age: not known, Occ: Line
Inspector, O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Outdoor Section, Zilla Stores
R.R.V. Puram, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-530029.
Respondent/s
WHEREAS the Petitioners above named through their Advocate SRI PEETA RAMAN, presented this 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 or order, orders or directions more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus -
i) declaring the inaction of the official respondents in implementing common judgment dt. 10-11-2009 passed in WA No. 1434 of 2008 and batch, which got confirmed/upheld by the Hon'ble Apex Court in its judgment dt.25- 02-2019 passed in Civil Appeal Nos.2049-2158 of 2019 and batch, in favour of the petitioners, who got appointed as C-JLMs (Contract Junior Linemen)/JLMs (Junior Linemen) from 2011 onwards in order to extend all kinds of service- cum-monitory benefits to the C-JLMs/JLMs who got appointed pursuant to the common judgment dt. 10-11-2009 including retrospective regularization, protection of seniority, arrears of babk wages, annual grade increments. Pay Revision Commissions (PRCs), reviewing of promotions already made etc. on par with 2007 C-JLM/JLM appointees; and also
ii) the action of the respondents in preparing seniority list basing on roster points instead of preparing it basing on man-days/length of contractual service for Ex-Contract Labour and also percentAge: of marks secured in ITI in so far as freshers are concerned by showing them immediately below the last C- JLM/JLM appointee from the Ex-Contract Labour category as illegal, arbitrary, discriminative, colorable exercise of powers, opposed to the doctrine of promissory estoppel and doctrine of legitimate expectation besides violative of Articles 14, 16 & 21 of the Constitution of India; and
iii) consequently, direct the official respondents to implement common judgment dt. 10-11-2009 passed in WA No. 1434 of 2008 & batch, which got confirmed/upheld by the Hon'ble Apex Court in its judgment dt.25-02-2019 / 1 passed in Civil Appeal Nos.2049-2158 of 2019 and batch, in favour of the petitioners, who got appointed as C-JLMs/JLMs from 2011 onwards in order to extend all kinds of service-cum-monitory benefits to the C-JLMs/JLMs who got appointed pursuant to the common judgment dt. 10-11-2009 including retrospective regularization, protection of seniority, arrears of back wAge:s. annual grade increments. Pay Revision Commissions (PRCs), reviewing of promotions already made etc., on par with 2007 C-JLM/JLM appointees and direct the respondents to prepare integrated inter se common final seniority list basing on man-days/length of contractual service for Ex-Contract Labour and also percentAge: of marks secured in ITI in so far as freshers are concerned by showing them immediately below the last C-JLM/JLM appointee from the Ex-Contract Labour category:
AND WHEREAS the High Court upon perusing the petition and affidavit filed herein and upon hearing the arguments of Sri PEETA RAMAN, Advocate for the Petitioners, Sri V.V. SAT I SH'i Standing Counsel for the Respondent Nos.1 to 4 directed issue of notice to the unofficial Respondents herein to show cause as to why this WRIT PETITION should not be admitted. You viz:
1. Undi Sathibabu, S/o. not known. Age: not known, Occ: Lineman (ID 1073435), O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Thatithuru Section, 33/11 KV Sub-Station, Chittivalasa, Bhimili Mandal, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh-531162.
2. N. Suresh Babu, S/o. not known. Age: not known, Occ: Lineman (ID 1073483), O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Chittivalasa Section, 33/11 KV Sub-Station, Chittivalasa, Bhimili Mandal, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh-531162.
3. D. Issac Babu, S/o. not known. Age: not known, Occ: Lineman (ID 1074015), O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Vepagunta Section, R.R.V. Puram, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-530029.
4. G Venkata Rao, S/o. not known. Age: not known, Occ: Lineman (ID 1074024) O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Gopalapatnam Town Section, R.R.V. Puram, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-530029.
5. P. Bhavani Prasad Raju, S/o. not known. Age; not known, Occ: Line Inspector, O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Outdoor Section, Zilla Stores, R.R.V. Puram, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-530029.
are be and hereby directed to show cause either appearing in person or through an Advocate, as to why in the circumstances set out in the petition and the affidavit filed therewith (copy enclosed) this WRIT PETITION should not be admitted, on or before 02.02.2026, on which date the case stands posted for hearing.
The Court made the following ORDER:
Issue notice to unofficial respondents.
Learned counsel for the petitioner(s) is permitted to take out personal notice to the unofficial respondents and file proof of service by the next date of hearing.
List along with W.A.No.229 of 2025 & batch, on 02.02.2026.
SD/- B.PRASAD RAO DEPUTY REGISTRAR //TRUE COPY// SECTION O^^^R To,
1. Undi Sathibabu, S/o. not known. Age: not known, Occ; Lineman (ID 1073435), O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Thatithuru Section, 33/11 KV Sub-Station, Chittivalasa, Bhimili Mandal, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh-531162.
2.
N. Suresh Babu, Occ; Lineman (ID 1073483), O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Chittivalasa Section, 33/11 KV Sub-Station, Chittivalasa, Bhimili Mandal, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh-531162.
3. D. Issac Babu, Occ; Lineman (ID 1074015), O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Vepagunta Section, R.R.V. Puram, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-530029.
4. G Venkata Rao, Occ: Lineman (ID 1074024) O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Gopalapatnam Town Section, R.R.V. Puram, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-530029.
5. P. Bhavani Prasad Raju, Occ: Line Inspector, O/o. the Assistant Engineer, Outdoor Section, Zilla Stores, R.R.V. Puram, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh-530029. (Addressee Nos.1 to 5 by RPAD- along with a copy of petition and affidavit)
6. One CC to SRI. PEETA RAMAN Advocate [OPUC]
7. One CC to Sri V.V. SATISH, STANDING COUNSEL [OPUC]
8. Two spare copies KJ 1 HIGH COURT DEV,J & KM,J DATED:19/01/2026 LIST ALONG WITH W.A.N0.229 OF 2025 & BATCH, ON 02.02.2026 NOTICE BEFORE ADMISSION WP.No.20982 of 2025