B UDAYA BHASKARA RAO Vs. EXECUTIVE ENGINEER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition is directed against the decision of the Municipal Corporation, Rajahmundry suspending the sanction of Plumber licences under Section 6 of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1982 (Act 6 of 1982).

(2.) Rajahmundry was originally only a Municipality and under the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1965, petitioners had been given licences to work as Plumbers. On 16-4-1993 their applications for renewal of the licences were rejected and they filed Writ Petition No.7321/1993 and by an interim direction their licences were renewed for some time. Thereafter, on 25-3-1995, Rajahmundry was declared as larger urban area under Section 3 of the A.P. Municipalities Act, 1994 by G.O.Ms. No. 159, with the result that it became a Corporation. Consequently, on 1-2-1996, Writ Petition No. 7321/1993 was disposed of as infructuous but a direction was given to the Corporation to consider their applications if filed afresh. Initially, when the petitioners applied, they were granted licences on 28-6-1996. Thereafter, the impugned endorsement was made stating that their licenses were suspended. Hence, this writ petition.

(3.) The contention of the petitioners is that the impugned order is untenable and the 1st respondent cannot suspend the licenses granted and in any case such suspension without affording opportunity to the petitioners was illegal, The learned Counsel for the petitioners took me through the legislative history and submitted that if the correct legal position is taken into account, the Corporation has the power and duty to grant licenses.