JUDGMENT

1. This writ petition is filed to declare the orders of the 1st respondent issued in G.O.Rt.No.35, Infrastructure & Investment (Ports) Department, dtd. 5/7/2021, and the consequential Memo dtd. 30/10/2022, as illegal and arbitrary.

2. Heard Sri Sivaraju Srinivas, learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Government Pleader for Services-I appearing for respondent Nos.1 and 2, and Ms. A. Gayathri Reddy, learned standing counsel for ACB appearing for the 3rd respondent.

3. Briefly, the case of the petitioner is that he was initially appointed as a Port Officer in the Port Services on 15/11/2011 on contract basis for a period of one year. Later, pursuant to a notification No.22/2011 dtd. 27/12/2011 issued by the APPSC for regular appointment of Port Officers in the A.P. Port Services, he applied for the said post and on being selected, he was appointed as a regular Port Officer vide G.O.Ms.No.11, Infrastructure & Investment (Ports) Department, dtd. 20/7/2013 and accordingly, he joined duty on 22/7/2013 at Kakinada Anchorage Port. Subsequently, on 20/7/2016 he was designated and posted as a Special Officer, Bhavanapadu Project vide G.O.Ms.No.89, energy, Infrastructure & Investme