JUDGMENT

S. B. MAJMUDAR, J. - These five appeals arise on certificates of fitness granted by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad under Article 133(1) of the Constitution of India. They bring in Challenge on behalf of the Institution of Andhara Pradesh Lokayukta/Upa-Lokayukta and the State of Andhra Pradesh respectively, a common judgment rendered by the said High Court in five writ petitions moved by the writ petitioners who are contesting respondents in these appeals. A common question of jurisdiction of the Lokayukta/Upa-Lokayukta functioning under the Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta Act, 1983 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act") to entertain complaints regarding the impugned actions of the writ petitioners falls for consideration in these appeals.

2. For appreciating the aforesaid question the background facts leading to these proceedings deserve to be noted. Civil Appeal No. 2020 of 1986 moved by Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayukta, Andhra Pradesh arises out of the decision of a Division Bench of the High Court in Writ Petition No. 16716 of 1984. The original writ petitioner who is the contesting respondent in this appeal was at the relevant time Chief Executive Officer of the And