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IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI
BATTU DEVANAND, J.
Rayapureddy Srinivasa Rao S/o Bramaiah - Appellant
Versus
The government of Andra Pradesh – Respondent
Writ Petition Nos. 10038, 4167, 4427, 6899, 11511, 11972, 12126, 12413, 12831, 12917, 12946, 13328, 13381, 13519, 13593, 13644, 13742, 13954, 14085, 14139, 14228, 14253, 14335, 14350, 14352, 14371, 14391, 14513, 14520, 14523, 14528, 14533, 14534, 14540, 14544, 14558, 14565, 14604, 14637, 14652, 14686, 14696, 14698, 14701, 14702, 14703, 14704, 14709, 14710, 14727, 14733, 14757, 14760, 14770, 14798, 14800, 14805, 14806, 14815, 14827, 14829, 14835, 14846, 14849, 14850, 14856, 14858, 14876, 14916, 14920, 14933, 14942, 14961, 14969, 14978, 14987, 15003, 15007, 15023, 15031, 15058, 15070, 15089, 15093, 15099, 15107, 15110, 15124, 15125, 15141, 15146, 15168, 15182, 15198, 15202, 15204, 15208, 15209, 15214, 15216, 15235, 15255, 15260, 15266, 15274, 15290, 15294, 15296, 15299, 15317, 15350, 15374, 15388, 15453, 15470, 15478, 15489, 15504, 15552, 15565, 15567, 15570, 15574, 15605, 15613, 15623, 15639, 15641, 15648, 15670, 15675, 15676, 15704, 15716, 15737, 15758, 15763, 15772, 15777, 15781, 15805, 15811, 15815, 15817, 15829, 15876, 15902, 15904, 15905, 15907, 15911, 15915, 15921, 15926, 15927, 15934, 15936, 15946, 15949, 15965, 15974, 15975, 15978, 15994, 16009, 16039, 16042, 16044, 16046, 16058, 16064, 16067, 16069, 16070, 16072, 16080, 16081, 16082, 16086, 16087, 16097, 16099, 16102, 16104, 16106, 16110, 16115, 16117, 16118, 16119, 16126, 16131, 16135, 16137, 16139, 16143, 16144, 16145, 16153, 16159, 16166, 16167, 16170, 16191, 16212, 16227, 16244, 16257, 16275, 16302, 16306, 16309, 16321, 16323, 16338, 16349, 16352, 16355, 16367, 16382, 16392, 16400, 16406, 16407, 16416, 16439, 16447, 16453, 16460, 16470, 16475, 16478, 16504, 16519, 16550, 16571, 16587, 16589, 16645, 16650, 16676, 16678, 16683, 16686, 16694, 16697, 16707, 16713, 16715, 16722, 16728, 16732, 16734, 16737, 16742, 16745, 16749, 16758, 16762, 16766, 16768, 16769, 16776, 16783, 16784, 16791, 16805, 16807, 16808, 16814, 16838, 16842, 16888, 16904, 16908, 16919, 16928, 16941, 16949, 16951, 16955, 16991, 17004, 17007, 17013, 17019, 17021, 17032, 17037, 17041, 17042, 17044, 17047, 17048, 17052, 17055, 17063, 17073, 17082, 17099, 17115, 17120, 17127, 17145, 17153, 17158, 17159, 17174, 17176, 17180, 17185, 17193, 17212, 17215, 17217, 17219, 17269, 17293, 17301, 17313, 17329, 17335, 17372, 17388, 17389, 17407, 17410, 17411, 17423, 17432, 17434, 17443, 17454, 17471, 17479, 17484, 17486, 17488, 17490, 17495, 17496, 17509, 17515, 17519, 17520, 17529, 17548, 17558, 17572, 17581, 17583, 17587, 17597, 17602, 17606, 17615, 17631, 17640, 17643, 17656, 17666, 17668, 17687, 17709, 17780, 17786, 17793, 17794, 17797, 17808, 17812, 17815, 17827, 17834, 17835, 17840, 17845, 17852, 17855, 17858, 17870, 17891, 17892, 17895, 17896, 17897, 17901, 17921, 17932, 17937, 17944, 17952, 17958, 17966, 17967, 17976, 17980, 17985, 18007, 18009, 18010, 18019, 18022, 18025, 18028, 18029, 18044, 18046, 18048, 18049, 18072, 18074, 18075, 18076, 18077, 18083, 18088, 18090, 18101, 18109, 18111, 18130, 18138, 18158, 18170, 18173, 18174, 18175, 18177, 18185, 18191, 18205, 18214, 18219, 18249, 18254, 18264, 18265, 18266, 18269, 18270, 18313, 18317, 18318, 18319, 18333, 18334, 18353, 18359, 18381, 18392, 18394, 18395, 18396, 18400, 18425, 18441, 18450, 18469, 18487, 18494, 18521, 18526, 18527, 18537, 18544, 18550, 18557, 18571, 18581, 18594, 18597, 18602, 18607, 18612, 18615, 18617, 18621, 18627, 18641, 18645, 18654, 18660, 18668, 18675, 18681, 18685, 18690, 18694, 18705, 18706, 18707, 18708, 18709, 18713, 18715, 18724, 18730, 18736, 18737, 18738, 18748, 18764, 18766, 18770, 18783, 18785, 18786, 18788, 18812, 18813, 18815, 18827, 18833, 18835, 18839, 18844, 18849, 18853, 18858, 18860, 18867, 18879, 18889, 18894, 18895, 18897, 18904, 18906, 18907, 18915, 18921, 18928, 18930, 18931, 18935, 18937, 18938, 18946, 18950, 18968, 18975, 18986, 18988, 19003, 19005, 19007, 19008, 19014, 19015, 19019, 19026, 19030, 19046, 19047, 19059, 19061, 19062, 19064, 19068, 19071, 19073, 19074, 19075, 19078, 19081, 19084, 19087, 19088, 19092, 19093, 19097, 19099, 19101, 19103, 19106, 19135, 19142, 19147, 19148, 19149, 19150, 19172, 19188, 19270, 19327, 19360, 19364, 19366, 19374, 19378, 19413, 19429, 19438, 19442, 19456, 19482, 19490, 19499, 19501, 19504, 19508, 19524, 19525, 19535, 19552, 19569, 19573, 19586, 19601, 19602, 19610, 19617, 19618, 19682, 19685, 19686, 19689, 19696, 19712, 19715, 19718, 19719, 19732, 19737, 19739, 19757, 19790, 19818, 19821, 19826, 19827, 19828, 19829, 19831, 19834, 19835, 19845, 19865, 19878, 19890, 19912, 19913, 19922, 19940, 19950, 19956, 19978, 19985, 19991, 19996, 19999, 20054, 20068, 20075, 20083, 20093, 20094, 20096, 20098, 20100, 20125, 20136, 20164, 20175, 20202, 20207, 20210, 20226, 20235, 20239, 20240, 20241, 20287, 20297, 20301, 20310, 20319, 20324, 20325, 20327, 20342, 20345, 20352, 20354, 20356, 20357, 20362, 20364, 20365, 20367, 20369, 20371, 20375, 20380, 20381, 20389, 20391, 20402, 20405, 20413, 20426, 20435, 20451, 20465, 20472, 20487, 20494, 20504, 20509, 20510, 20512, 20515, 20516, 20524, 20526, 20528, 20530, 20533, 20536, 20544, 20546, 20562, 20563, 20568, 20579, 20581, 20589, 20599, 20607, 20610, 20617, 20625, 20627, 20631, 20636, 20640, 20652, 20654, 20667, 20674, 20682, 20688, 20689, 20696, 20705, 20707, 20717, 20723, 20726, 20727, 20729, 20731, 20736, 20751, 20772, 20773, 20784, 20788, 20798, 20806, 20808, 21811, 21815, 21823, 21825, 21826, 21832, 21835, 21838, 21847, 21859, 21898, 21900, 21906, 21911, 21912, 21916, 21922, 21935, 21936, 21941, 21946, 21961, 21963, 21966, 21969, 21975, 21986, 21989, 21992, 21995, 22000, 22014, 22023, 22049, 22057, 22067, 22071, 22076, 22078, 22086, 22089, 22091, 22095, 22107, 22110, 22113, 22135, 22138, 22139, 22147, 22149, 22158, 22167, 22173, 22176, 22181, 22182, 22186, 22188, 22194, 22201, 22203, 22207, 22208, 22211, 22217, 22222, 22223, 22228, 22236, 22247, 22248, 22255, 22265, 22274, 22275, 22279, 22294, 22295, 22305, 22306, 22310, 22314, 22321, 22325, 22326, 22331, 22337, 22347, 22352, 22361, 22368, 22379, 22413, 22419, 22420, 22430, 22431, 22435, 22440, 22441, 22463, 22318, 22385, 22396, 22444,2021, 22445, 22446, 22451, 22455, 22458, 22470, 22471, 22480, 22501, 22509, 22511, 22518, 22528, 22545, 22548/201, and 22550 of 2021.
Decided on : 05-10-2021
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 - Section 22 - Constitution of India, 1950 - Article 14 and 21 - Seeking writ of Mandamus - Before proceeding into these cases court consider it appropriate to look into preamble of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act - Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 was enacted by Parliament with preamble as extracted - An Act to provide for enhancement of livelihood security of households in rural areas of Country by providing at least days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work and for matters connected with or incidental thereto.
Finding of the Court :
Courts time and again as unjust retention of a benefit to loss of another or retention of money or property of another against fundamental principles of justice or equity and good conscience - Principle of unjust enrichment states that no person can be enriched with another expenses and the person who enriches or obtains benefit at another expenses and causing loss to another shall be required to reimburse or restitute a reasonable value of those services and money which person received unfairly - Admittedly petitioners executed works - They submitted bills - There are no enquiries pending against them - There is no fault on part of petitioners - Central Government had released funds of share - But petitioners did not receive payments - As respondents are responsible for said delay in making payments to petitioners for which they are legally entitled.
Result : Petition Allowed
ORDER :
Heard respective counsel appearing for the petitioners and the respondents in all writ petitions. Perused the material available on record.
2) As the issue involved in all these writ petitions is one and the same, all these writ petitions are disposed of by a common order.
3) All these writ petitions have been filed seeking writ of Mandamus to declare the action of the respondents in not clearing the bills submitted by the petitioners for the works executed prior to 2019 under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (in short “MGNREGS”), the works executed under Special Development Fund (SDF), Rural Development Fund (RDF), C.M. Tipping Fund and other works executed and for nonpayment of the amounts, for which they are legitimately entitled as illegal, arbitrary, unjust, against to principles of natural justice and violative of Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
4) The respondent Nos.1 and 2 filed their counter-affidavits in W.P.No.11511 of 2021 and 16806 of 2021. A memo has been filed on behalf of the respondent Nos.1 and 2 adopting the counter-affidavit filed in W.P.No.16806 of 2021 in all writ petitions. The contents made in counter-affidavit filed in W.P.No.11511 of 2021 are reiterated in the counter–affidavit in W.P.No.16806 of 2021.
5) Before proceeding into these cases, we consider it appropriate to look into the preamble of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 was enacted by the Parliament with the preamble as extracted hereunder:
6) For the effective implementation of the Act, “Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme” has been announced and is implemented through the Country.
7) Section 22 of the Act provides ‘Funding Pattern’ as extracted hereunder:
(1) Subject to the rules as may be made by the Central Government in this behalf, the Central Government shall meet the cost of the following, namely:-
(a) the amount required for payment of wages for unskilled manual work under the Scheme;
(b) up to three-fourths of the material cost of the Scheme including payment of wages to skilled and semi-skilled workers subject to the provisions of Schedule II;
(c) such percentage of the total cost of the Scheme as may be determined by the Central Government towards the administrative expenses, which may include the salary and allowances of the Programme Officers and his supporting staff, the administrative expenses of the Central Council, facilities to be provided under Schedule II and such other item as may be decided by the Central Government.
(2) The State Government shall meet the cost of the following, namely:-
(a) the cost of unemployment allowance payable under the Scheme;
(b) one-fourth of the material cost of the Scheme including payment of wages to skilled and semi-skilled workers subject to the provisions of Schedule II;
(c) the administrative expenses of the State Council.
8) On careful perusal of the “funding pattern” provided under Section 22 of the Act, the Central Government shall meet the cost of the amount required for payment of the wages for unskilled manual work under the Scheme and up to 3/4 (75%) of the material cost of the Scheme including payment of wages to skilled and semiskilled workers subject to the provisions of Schedule II. The State Government shall meet the cost of unemployment allowance payable under the scheme and 1/4 (25%) of the material cost of the Scheme including payment of wages to skilled and semi-skilled workers subject to the p
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State and instrumentalities jointly liable for admitted dues on executed and accepted public works; cannot withhold payments citing no privity, paucity of funds or delays, violating Article 14; must ....
State cannot withhold admitted dues for executed and accepted public works citing paucity of funds or lack of privity among instrumentalities; violates Article 14, warrants interest on delay.
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