GOVT OF ANDHRA PRADESH Vs. SANGAIAH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) At issue, again, is the dispute relating to inter se seniority of direct recruits and promotees in the cadre of Deputy Executive Engineers of Roads and Buildings Department of State of Andhra Pradesh, hereinafter referred to as R&B Dept., which was carved out of erstwhile Public Works Department (PWD).

(2.) These five writ-petitions are filed questioning the common judgment dated 29-10-1997 rendered by A.P. Administrative Tribunal. The grievance of the petitioners is that the judgment is self-contradictory and runs even contra to the burning issues already resolved by Supreme Court and if the adverse findings are not set aside, the entire adjudication made so far in several cases gets re-opened taking the dispute back to square one.

(3.) While the Government and Engineer-in-Chief are the petitioners in WP No.5834 of 1998, in other writ petitions, the Engineers are the petitioners. The petitioners in WP Nos.23020, 25597 and 27778 of 1998 are the promote Deputy Executive Engineers, the petitioner in WP No.24462 of 1998 is the directly recruited Deputy Executive Engineer. It is pertinent to mention that the issue relates to the seniority in the cadre of Deputy Executive Engineer which is the basis for further promotions. Even though some of them are holding promotional posts, they are only in fluid state as the seniority issue is not being allowed to be finalised in view of series of litigation.