APHC010114242026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI [3208]

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

MONDAY,THE SIXTEENTH DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH WRIT PETITION NO: 6310/2026 Between:

1. T MALLESWARA RAO, S/O. LATE NAGABHUSHANAM, AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS, OCC MRI O/O TAHSILDAR, BHEEMUNIPATNAM, NOW MRI O/O TAHSILDAR, BHEEMUNIPATNAM, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT-531 136, A.P.

...PETITIONER AND

1. T HE STATE OF AP, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, REVENUE DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI, GUNTUR DISTRICT-522 237.

2. T HE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT, VISAKHAPATNAM-530 001, A.P., 3. T HE TAHSILDAR, BHEMUNIPATNAM, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT-531 163, A.P ...RESPONDENT(S):

This Court made the following ORDER:

1. This Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India by the Petitioners for the following relief:

“to issue a Writ or order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the respondents in not regularizing the services of the petitioner in the cadre of Typist and not release the periodical increments, other benefits, despite of possessing technical qualifications such as Typewriting Higher grade telugu on the untenable grounds that the petitioner acquired the typewriting qualifications within prescribed period mentioned in his appointment order and belatedly acquired said qualification is as highly illegal, arbitrary, discriminatory and contrary to the Divisional Bench judgment of this Hon'ble Court in W.P.No. 11321/2019, dated 14-08-2019 in the same subject matter and contrary to various GOs issued by the Government and Consequently direct the respondents to regularize the services of the petitioner with effect from his date of joining into duty as Typist with all consequential benefits without taking account of passing Typewriting Qualifications beyond prescribed period and…”

2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for the respondents.

3. The grievance of the petitioner is that, despite possessing the requisite technical qualification of Typewriting Higher Grade in Telugu, the respondents have neither regularized his services in the cadre of Typist nor released the periodical increments and other attendant benefits. The respondents rejected his claim on the ground that he did not acquire the said qualification within the period prescribed in the appointment order and that it was obtained belatedly, which is illegal and arbitrary. Hence, the present writ petition.

4. A similar issue was considered by this Court in W.P. No.4222 of 2023, dated 18.06.2025, in Duvvi Vinay Satya Kumar and others vs. State of Andhra Pradesh and others, wherein this Court observed as under:

(8) Thus, Govemment have noticed that there is a striking anomalous position with regard to regularization of the services of Junior Stenographers in the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Prior to 1987, the Junior Stenographers had to acquire a higher grade typewriting and higher grade qualification in shorthand in the period 1987-98 these qualifications were changed and the individuals were required to obtain Higher Grade in Typewriting and Higher Grade in Shorthand in Telugu. In the revised Andhra Pradesh Ministerial Service Rules, 1998 the rules were once again amended and now they are required to obtain Higher grade Typewriting and Shorthand in the "relevant language".

9. In view of the fact that some of the Junior Stenographers appointed between March 1987 and July 1998 were not qualified under the rules, it has been decided to relax the requirement of passing Telugu Typewriting Higher Grade and Telugu Shorthand Higher Grade for all those individuals.

10. Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred under rule 31 of the A.P.State & Subordinate Service Rules, 1996, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh hereby relaxes the rule 23 of the A.P.Ministerial Service Rules, 1966 in favour of Junio