Compliance with a court order and the existence of a subsequent order permitting the activity removes the element of willful disobedience required to sustain a charge of contempt of court.

The Court made the following:

ORDER:-

This Contempt Case is filed under Section 10 to 12 of Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 to punish the Respondents/ Contemnors for Contempt of Court for willful and deliberate disobedience in not complying the orders passed by this Court dated 29.01.2025 in W.P.No.29223 of 2024.

2. The sole Respondent has filed Counter-Affidavit duly stating that in strict compliance with the directions passed by this Court on 29.01.2025, the Respondent’s Office have immediately issued stop-work notices to the Respondents 4 and 5, vide Roc.No.805/2025/G1, dated 19.03.2025, directing them to immediately stop any further construction activity. Pursuant to the said notices, the construction activity was stopped at the ground floor level and no construct whatsoever was carried out thereafter on the first floor. Subsequently, the Respondent has also filed Charge Sheet against the Respondents No. 4 and 5 as per Section 340 of Andhra Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1965. It is also stated that after disposal of the present Writ Petition, the Petitioner once again filed W.P.No. 27552 of 2025, wherein this Court on 19.02.2026 has passed the following order

“the construction proposed by the respondents shall go on”.

3. As per Counter-Affidavit, it appears that sole Respondent in compliance to the orders passed by this Court has already initiated action, issued stop work notice on 19.03.2025, thereafter, Respondent has also filed charge sheet against the Respondent as per Section 340 of the Andhra Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1965. But, however, the Petitioner has once again approached this Court vide W.P.No.27552 of 2025, wherein this Court on 19.02.2026 has passed the following the order:

“The construction proposed by the respondents shall go on”.

4. In such a case, this Court is of the opinion that the orders passed by this Court has already been complied with by the Respondent and if at all, any construction is being made by the Respondent, it would be in pursuance of the orders passed by this Court in subsequent W.P.No.27552 of 2025, as such no contempt lies.

5. Accordingly, the Contempt Case is closed. The miscellaneous applications pending, if any, shall also stand closed.