Facts of the Case

This is Writ Petition No. 23095 of 2021 before the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, filed by a contractor against the Irrigation & Common Area Development authorities seeking release of Rs.9,33,050/- towards final bills for executed works, along with 12% GST and interest, alleging the non-payment was illegal, arbitrary and violated Articles 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution. This is a contract-payment dispute where GST features only as a component of the amount claimed, not a case examining any GST legal question.

Issues Involved

  1. Whether the petitioner's writ petition survived for adjudication once the disputed bill amount had already been paid.

Petitioner's Arguments

  • Originally sought release of the pending bill amount of Rs.9,33,050/- with 12% GST and interest for completed works; by the time of final hearing, counsel confirmed that the respondents had complied with the Court's earlier order dated 24.02.2022 and paid the total amount due.

Respondent's Arguments

  • The Government Pleader for the respondents confirmed compliance with the Court's earlier order and payment of the amount claimed.

Court Order / Findings

  • Since both sides confirmed that the earlier court order had been complied with and the dues paid, the Court held that no cause survived and no further orders were required.
  • The writ petition was closed, with no order as to costs.

Important Clarification

No GST question was examined or decided — the petition became infructuous once payment (inclusive of the GST component) was made pursuant to an earlier court order. This is purely a closure order recording compliance, not a substantive ruling.

Sections Involved

  • Article 226, Constitution of India — writ jurisdiction (contract payment dispute)

Decision – In Favour of

Effectively in favour of the petitioner in substance (the dues, including GST, had already been paid), but the writ petition itself was closed as infructuous without a decision on merits, since nothing remained to be adjudicated.

Case Details

Court: High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati
Case No.: Writ Petition No. 23095 of 2021
Coram: Justice Venkateswarlu Nimmagadda
Date: 31 July 2023

Link to Download the Order

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