V CHANDRASEKHARA NAIDU Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner prays for a writ of quo -warranto, vis-a-vis the rights of the 3rd respondent to continue in the post of Public Information Officer (PIO) of Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam, Tirupathi. THE relevant facts pleaded by him are, as under:

(2.) THE petitioner joined the service of the Devasthanam as an Attender, in the year 1970. THEreafter, he acquired the promotions to the post of L.D.C., U.D.C., Superintendent and Assistant Executive Officer, and retired from service on 31.8.2004. THE Devasthanam issued notification on 28.7.2001, inviting applications for selection and appointment of PIO. THE petitioner also applied for it. THE petitioner was selected and was appointed through orders dated 16.2.2002. His appointment was challenged by the 3rd respondent and another, by filing WP No.3853 and 5233 of 2002. THE writ petitions were allowed. THE judgment in the writ petitions was confirmed in writ appeals, by a Division Bench, and thereafter, by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in SLPs. As a result, the appointment of the petitioner was set aside and in his place, the 3rd respondent was appointed as PIO.

(3.) SRI A.K. Jayaprakash Rao, learned Counsel for the Devasthanam, on the other hand, submits that the selection and appointment of PIO of the Devasthanam in the year 2002 was the subject-matter of writ petitions, writ appeals and SLPs, and the 3rd respondent has been appointed in compliance with the directions issued by this Court.