2026:APHC:17400 APHC010045802026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI [3331]

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

TUESDAY,THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE SUBBA REDDY SATTI WRIT PETITION NO: 2733/2026 Between:

1. G OWDU APPA RAO, S/O. LATCHAYYA, AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS, OCC AGRICULTURAL COOLIE, PENSION ID.NO.10100016417, R/O. NAGIRIPENTA VILLAGE SANTHABOMMALI GRAM PANCHAYAT AND MANDAL, SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH-

532195 ...PETITIONER AND

1. T HE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY PANCHAYAT RAJ AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT BUILDING, VELGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR DISTRICT, A.P - 522238.

2. T HE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, SRIKAKULAM, SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT, A.P - 532001.

3. T HE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DISTRICT RURAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (DRDA), VIJAYAWADA, KRISHNA DISTRICT, A.P - 520001.

4. T HE PROJECT DIRECTOR, DISTRICT RURAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY(DRDA), SRIKAKULAM, SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT, A.P -

532001.

5. T HE PROJECT DIRECTOR, SOCIETY FOR ELIMINATION OF RURAL POVERTY(SERP), SRIKAKULAM, SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT, A.P -

532001.

6. T HE MANDAL PARISHAD DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, SANTHABOMMALI MANDAL, SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT, A.P - 532195.

7. S ANTHABOMMALI GRAM PANCHAYAT, , REP. BY ITS PANCHAYAT SECRETARY. NAGIRIPENTA VILLAGE, SANTHABOMMALI GRAM PANCHAYAT AND MANDAL, SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT, A.P -

532195 ...RESPONDENT(S):

Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ or direction declare the action of the respondents in discontinuing the pension to the petitioner and without issuing any notice and without giving an opportunity of hearing as illegal, arbitrary and violation of Article 14 and 21 of Constitution of India and consequently direct the respondents to distribute arrears of pension to the petitioner from where to stopped the pension and continue to pay the pension to the petitioner thereafter and pass such IA NO: 1 OF 2026 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased may be pleased to direct the respondents to pay the social security pension to the petitioner from March 2025 onwards to till today, pending disposal of writ petition and pass such Counsel for the Petitioner:

1. K BHEEMA RAO Counsel for the Respondent(S):

1. GP FOR PANCHAYAT RAJ RURAL DEV The Court made the following:

::ORDER ::

Heard Sri K. Bheema Rao, learned counsel for the petitioner;

Sri P. Rajesh Kumar, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, for respondents 1 and 2; Sri Hari Babu, learned standing counsel for respondents 3 to 5 and Ms.Ch. Annapurna, learned counsel representing Sri Y. Koteswara Rao, learned standing counsel for respondents 6 and 7.

2. The above writ petition was filed to declare the action of respondent No.6 in discontinuing pension payable to the petitioner, without issuing any notice or affording an opportunity of hearing, as illegal and arbitrary.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner permanent resident of Nagiripenta Village, Santhabommali Gram Panchayat and Mandal, Srikakulam, and eking out his livelihood as an agricultural coolie, was selected as an eligible beneficiary under ‘YSR Pension Kanuka’. The petitioner received the pension till February, 2025. Thereafter, the pension was stopped without issuing any notice. Aggrieved by the said action, the petitioner filed a letter dated 07.04.2025 before respondent No.2, who, in turn, communicated through a letter dated 29.04.2025 about a complaint lodged by one of the villagers alleging that the petitioner’s son is an employee, working as Gunman in District Armed Forces and hence, the petitioner is not eligible for pension, under the scheme. Learned counsel for the petitioner wo