R MANJULA Vs. PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT REVENUE SERVICES I DEPARTMENT SECRETARIAT GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH HYDERABAD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Both these writ petitions may be disposed of by a common order, since the issue involved in both the writ petitions is one and the same.

(2.) The petitioner in W.P. No.801 of 2002 filed O.A. No.9633 of 2001 in the Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal at Hyderabad (for short 'the Tribunal') with a prayer to issue "appropriate directions calling for the records pertaining to the secret preparation of seniority list in the category of Tahsildars without communicating the same to anybody and making further promotions on the said list to the posts of Deputy Collectors and the consequential Memo No.63223/Ser.I (2)/ 2001-2, dated 16-11-2001 issued by the first respondent-Government and quash the same as illegal, arbitrary and without jurisdiction". The petitioner also prayed for a consequential direction directing the respondents not to make any promotions to the posts of Deputy Collectors until and unless the seniority list in the category of Tahsildars is communicated and finalised and for the further directidn to the respondents not to relax the rules in favour of directly recruited Deputy Tahsildars for which no provision exists in the statutory rules.

(3.) The petitioner in W.P. No.802 of 2002 filed O.A. No.9149 of 2001 before the Tribunal more or less with similar prayer challenging the very same Memo issued by the first respondent-Government. Similar consequential directions are sought for directing the respondents to prepare a fresh seniority list in the category of Deputy Tahsildars and Tahsildars based upon the dates of declaration of probation in the category of Deputy Tahsildars. The petitioner accordingly prayed for a direction to promote him as Deputy Collector with all consequential benefits.