ORDER :

W.P.No.24577 of 2024 was filed declaring the action of Respondent No.3 in not allowing the Petitioner to file her nomination for the post of President of the State Executive of Andhra Pradesh Government Nurses Association scheduled on 26.10.2024 and 27.10.2024 as illegal and arbitrary and consequently to declare the elections sought to be conducted as nullity in the eye of law.

2. W.P.No.692 of 2026 is filed to declare the action of Respondent Nos.2 and 3 in appointing an Election Officer and conducting elections to the District Executive Committees and State Executive Council of the Andhra Pradesh Government Nurses Association including the election notifications as illegal and arbitrary and for consequential reliefs.

3. As the parties are same in these two writ petitions, with the consent of learned counsel, a common order is being passed.

4. The nurses working in Government hostels across the State had formed an association in the year 1973 and was named as A.P. Government Nurses Association, Andhra Pradesh. The said society was registered under the provisions of the A.P. Societies Registration Act, 1860 with Registration No.21/1973. The aim and object of the Association was to redress the grievances of the members and to extend fraternity among the members on various issues. It is stated that there are about 4,000 members and that the State Government had accorded recognition to the said association vide G.O.Ms.No.358 dated 05.06.2008.

5. While so, Respondent No.2 had appointed Respondent No.3 as Election Officer on 22.09.2024 to conduct elections to the society. In turn, Respondent No.3 issued election schedule vide R.C.No.Ele/GNA/2024/5, dated 05.10.2024 for both District Units and State Executive of the association. It is stated that the election schedule runs contrary to the byelaws of the association.

6. Pursuant to the election notification, the Respondent No.3 had conducted elections to the District Executive and State Executive council from 23.10.2024 and 27.10.2024 and the Petitioner without realizing that Respondent Nos.2 and 3 are conducting elections without any authority of law, contested for the post of Secretary to the District Unit, Kurnool and lost the elections at the District level.

7. The Petitioner though had lost the election at the District level, being a senior member and having membership continuously for more than five (5) years was claimed to be entitled to contest for the posts of State Executive as per Article V of the byelaws. It was in that belief, the Petitioner had decided to contest to the post of President and approached Respondent Nos.3 to 5 for filing nominations on 26.10.2024, but was not allowed. It was stated that the nomination of the Petitioner could not have been restrained by Respondent No.3 and only upon scrutiny, nomination can be rejected as per the election schedule.

8. It is also stated that the appointment of Special Cadre Deputy Registrar/District Cooperative Officer, NTR District, Vijayawada as Election Officer to conduct elections to the District and State Executive bodies is invalid and the same is not done under the A.P. Societies Registration Act, 2001. It is in that context, the entire election process was sought to be annulled and for consequential direction to conduct fresh elections.

9. In the counter affidavit filed, it is stated that the Petitioner had accepted the appointment of Respondent No.3 as Election Officer and attended the consensus meeting held on 01.10.2024 at Regional Office, KDCCB, Vijayawada and the Petitioner was a signatory to the consensus arrived on the anomalies in the byelaws. It is stated that the Petitioner's signature appears at Sl.No.30 among 61 members who had attended the meeting. It is stated that the Petitioner having accepted the appointment of Respondent No.3 as Election Officer and the election notification, contested for the post of Secretary in the District elections held on 23.10.2024. The Petitioner lost in the elections at the