HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE R. RAGHUNANDAN RAO
WRIT PETITION No.9602 of 2022
ORDER:
The petitioner had been awarded the contracts for providing CC roads and construction of CC drains in 20th ward under State Development Scheme 2018-19 in Addanki Nagar Panchayat vide Agreement No.127/2018-19 dated 07.02.2019. After execution of the said work, a final bill for Rs.16,98,586/- had been prepared on the basis of Measurement Book and submitted to the concerned for payment. 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 sums 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. Sri M.Manohar Reddy, learned standing counsel for respondent Nos.4 and 5 submits that the respondent authorities are verifying the claims of the petitioner and would be in a 2 position to make payments only after such verification is completed.
5. In view of the aforesaid directions of this Court in various cases and after hearing the submissions of the learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Government pleader for Municipal Administration & Finance and Sri M.Manohar Reddy, learned standing counsel for respondent Nos.4 and 5, this writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to complete the verification process within a period of three weeks. It is clarified that in the event of the verification process not being completed within the aforesaid period of three weeks, the respondents shall pay the amounts due to the petitioner, without insisting upon any further time for verification. It would also be open to the petitioner to agitate his/her/their claim for interest, if any payable by the respondents, in an appropriate forum. There shall be no order as to costs.
As a sequel, pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed.
____________________________ R. RAGHUNANDAN RAO, J.
19.07.2022 RJS 3 HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE R. RAGHUNANDAN RAO WRIT PETITION No.9602 of 2022 19.07.2022 RJS