Judgement

VENKATACHALIAH, J.:- Appellant - State of Andhra Pradesh - seeks special leave under Art. 136 to appeal from the order, dt. 24-9-1982 of the Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal Hyderabad (Tribunal) in R.P. 1097 of 1982 upholding certain claims of the respondents, who are Govt. employees, for House Rent Allowance. The question essentially turns upon the true construction of certain Orders issued, from time to time, by the appellant.

2. Special leave is granted. The appeal is taken up for final hearing, heard and disposed of by the judgment.

The material facts necessary for resolving the controversy may briefly be stated :

Respondents who are serving in various posts of the Andhra Pradesh Fire Subordinate Service are, under their conditions of service, entitled to rent-free-accommodation. Before 22-1-1975, wherever they were not provided with such accommodation, they were reimbursed to the extent of the actual rents paid by them subject to their vouching for the actual expenditure in that behalf. However, by G.O. Ms. No. 15 dt. 21-2-1975, appellant granted to its employees who hold posts to which the benefit of the rent-free accommodation is attached and who are not provided