Judgment

SAIKIA, J.-Special leave granted.

2. This appeal is from the judgment and order of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad dated July 4,1988 passed in Writ Petition No. 8610 of 1988.

3. The appellant states that he enjoys popularity in his area and that he previously held several important positions in the Cuddapah District of Andhra Pradesh, such as organising secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee for several years, a Municipal Councillor from 1982 to 1986 and a Vice-Chairman of Cuddapah Municipal Council. According to him in December 1985 he was elected as a Chairman of the Cuddapah Municipal Council for its residuary term and in March 1987 he was elected to the Municipal Council as an independent candidate defeating the Telugu Desam and Congress (I) candidates by a large margin. It is his case that the local leadership of the ruling Telugu Desam party having failed to woo him into their fold he was pressurised through the Excise and Police authorities foisting false cases upon him. On November 13, 1987, the police having summoned him to the police station for taking his photograph as was done in case of criminals, he moved the Andhra Pradesh High Court