L TRINATHARAO Vs. GOVT OF A P

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition challenges the declaration of the Andhra Pradesh state Awards for T.V.Films in Telugu for the year 1993 known as 'Nandi Awards'. These awards were instituted by the Government for improving the quality of T.V.Productions. The entries for 1993 were screened by the Committee on 6-3-1994 and the awards were announced on 1-4-1994. The petitioners, who had also entered their television productions for consideration for the awards, were dissatified with the results announced by the Committee. They made a representation to the Chief Minister on 19-4-1994 which was signed by 20 representatives of the T.V.Industry. The Award presentation was deferred at the moment, but later when no action was taken to review the awards, the petitioners filed this writ petition. It is stated that the awards were announced but not actually distributed.

(2.) The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the Committee had not followed the procedure in selecting the winning entries and the entire results was vitiated by the considering entries which were given for one category for giving awards in another category. The Government has filed a counter stating that the Committee had the discretion to consider the entries according to the appropriate category even though they may have been entered for different categories.

(3.) Though this writ petition is filed as a Public Interest Litigation challenging the entire awards, in view of the fact that this relates to 1993 and awards have already been announced, I consider it fit to limit the case to those items which were entered by the petitioners and which did not have a proper consideration. From this point of view, the learned counsel for the petitioners pointed out that under the Rule 15 of the Rules for the State Awards issued in G.O.Ms.No.53, G.A. (I&PR) Department, dated 28-1-1984 as amended from time to time, unless a minimum of six entries are received in the category of feature film, no entry has to be considered for that award. The allegation in the affidavit in support of the petition is that there are entries namely; ' Shanti Kiranam' and 'Radhika Swantanam' which were given first and second prize for telefilms that were not really telefilms at all. With regard to 'Shanti Kiranam', it was stated that it was running for 20 minutes as against 90 to 100 required for a normal feature film, and 'Radhika Swantanam' was actually two episodes braodcast on two different dates did not qualify as a telefilm. Moreover, from the screening schedule it is seen that only fourtele films were considered for this category including 'Samsaram Samsaram' the entry of the 3rd petitioner, which is obviously opposed to the Rule which provides that they will not be considered unless six entries are made. In the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the award for the best telefilms is inherently untenable.