THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA
WRIT PETITION No.21975 OF 2022
ORDER:
The petitioner has been awarded the contract to undertake the works i.e., C.C. Road from Bachala Veedhi to Bachala Pandu Reddy (H) in Busigudem Gram Panchayat of Rampachodavaram Mandal, East Godavari District. After execution of the said contract, a final bill for a sum of Rs.21,58,670/- had been prepared on the basis of Measurement Book. As the payment of the said amount has not been made by the respondents, the petitioner has approached this Court by way of this writ petition.
2. It is the contention of the petitioner that even though the respondents admitted that the petitioner is entitled for payment of the aforesaid sum of money, no payment is being made. The petitioner contends that such non-payment of money is clearly arbitrary and high-handed requiring the interference of this Court.
3. This Court, in various orders, including the judgment of a learned Single Judge of this Court dated 05.10.2021 in W.P.No.10038 of 2021 and batch had taken the view that such non-payment of dues is arbitrary and that such dues need to be cleared by the respondents at the earliest.
4. In view of the aforesaid directions of this Court in various cases and after hearing the submissions of learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsels appearing for the respondents, this 2 Writ Petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to release the net amount of Rs.19,57,933/- to the petitioner at the earliest, and at any rate, within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, failing which the petitioner is entitled for interest @12% per annum. There shall be no order as to costs.
Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in this Writ Petition shall stand closed.
______________________________________ VENKATESWARLU NIMMAGADDA, J Date: 03.08.2022 SP 3