IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA Bench APHC010439542004 PRADESH Sr.No:-16 [3506]

AT AMARAVATI WRIT PETITION NO: 12117 of 2004 AND 27150 of2006 M.ramana Kumar and Others ...Petitioner(s)

Vs.

The Commissioner And Registrar Of ...Respondent(s)

Cooperative and Others **********

Advocate(s) for Petitioner(s): ., K S V SUBBA RAO Advocate(s) for Respondent(s): KOTESWARA RAO MUMMANENI, P VENUGOPAL, GP FOR COOPERATION CORAM : S RI JUSTICE CHALLA GUNARANJAN DATE : 18th December 2025 This Court made the following Common Order Writ Petition No. 12117 of 2004 is filed seeking the following relief:

“…To issue Writ order or Direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus, declare the direction issued by the Commissioner and Registrar of Cooperative Societies to the 2^nd respondent Bank found in proceedings Rc.No.13151/2004/Z-IV-I, dated 18.05.2004 as illegal and contrary to law and consequently, direct the 2^nd respondent to refrain from altering the inter se seniority of 1996-97 batch of directly recruited managers in any other manner while by following their merit ranking and on the above basis, direct the 2^nd respondent to consider the claims of the petitioners herein for promotion to the post of Assistant General Manager ahead of any other 1996-97 batch directly recruited manager and pass such other order or orders as are deem fit and proper in the circumstances of the case.”

2. Brief facts of the case are as follows:

(a) The 2^nd respondent Bank issued notification dated 22.05.1996 inviting applications for the post of Managers in the District Cooperative Central Bank, Kurnool. As per the notification, it was proposed to fill up 11 posts earmarked for different categories of candidates, five vacancies in the unreserved category (UR), two for scheduled caste (SC), one for scheduled tribe (ST), one for backward class (BC-A), one for backward class (BC-B), and one for the physically handicapped (PH) category.

(b) In pursuance to the selection made, the writ petitioners came to be appointed as Managers. The inter se seniority of the selected candidates came to be prepared based on merit. writ petitioners 1 and 2, who secured highest marks i.e., 144 and 136 respectively, stood at serial numbers 1 & 2 and unofficial respondents were placed lower in the list as per their respective marks. The 2^nd respondent has published the final seniority list by memo dated 05.05.2000 and objections were invited to the same to be submitted within 30 days therefrom and in case no objections were received, it is stated that the final seniority list so communicated would be treated as final. It is the case of the petitioners that no objections were raised within the window period, therefore, the list so communicated by memo dated

05.05.2000 became final.

(c) As per the said list, the writ petitioners stood at serial Nos. 5 and 6, whereas respondents 3, 4 & 5 at Serial Nos.8, 10 and 13. Later, the 1^st respondent has issued impugned proceedings dated 18.05.2004 communicating the 2^nd respondent that the inter se seniority has to be revised as per merit-cum-roster. It triggered the writ petitioners to institute the present writ petition.

(d) The writ petitioners also filed interlocutory applications seeking for interim relief of restraining the respondents to alter the inter se seniority among the Managers, who were recruited in pursuance to the notification of the year 1996 and this Court, accordingly, granted interim relief as prayed for and the same has been continued from time to time. Eventually, basing on the seniority list dated 05.05.2000, promotions came to be effected from the post of Manager to Assistant General Manager. Assailing such promotions, basing on the seniority list as communicated by memo dated 05.05.2000, respondents 3 & 4 in W.P.No.12117 of 2004 preferred W.P.No.27150 of 2006.

3. Both these Writ Petitions are tagged together and are being heard and disposed of by this common order.

4. The 2^nd respondent in W.P.No.12117 of 2004 filed counter a