Vasantha v. State of Karnataka

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS WRIT PETITION NO. 153 OF 2024 (LR) BETWEEN:

VASANTHA W/O S. MAHADEV, AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS, R/AT NO.73, IST MAIN, 8TH CROSS, CHAMARAJAPET, BENGALURU - 560 018. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SANTHOSH KUMAR M.B, ADVOCATE) AND:

¶1STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, REVENUE DEPARTMENT, M.S. BUILDING, DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU - 560 001.

¶2THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER MANDYA SUB-DIVISION, MANDYA - 571 401.

¶3THE TAHASILDAR MALAVALLI TALUK, MALAVALLI, MANDYA DISTRICT - 571 430. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. S.R. KHAMROZ KHAN, AGA)

by YASHODA K L Location: High Court Of Karnataka

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER PASSED BY THE SECOND RESPONDENT ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, MANDYA SUB-DIVISION, MANDYA IN CASE NO. LRF 74/2008-09 DATED 17.07.2009 VIDE ANNEXURE-B AND RESTORE THE LAND IN FAVOUR OF PETITIONER ABD ETC.,

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS

ORAL ORDER

Learned Additional Government Advocate takes notice for all the respondents.

¶2This writ petition has been filed aggrieved by the order passed by the Assistant Commissioner in proceedings bearing No.L.R.F.74/2008-09 dated

17.07.2009 at Annexure-B.

¶3Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that this is a case where the impugned order of forfeiture has been passed by the Assistant Commissioner without notice

to the petitioner. It is further submitted that under similar circumstances, a co-ordinate Bench of this Court in W.P.No.7821/2021 has passed an order dated 16.08.2021 remanding the matter back to the Assistant Commissioner for fresh consideration after affording an opportunity of hearing to the aggrieved person.

¶4Learned Additional Government Advocate points out from the impugned order that notice was indeed issued to the petitioner and in spite of notice having been issued, the petitioner did not appear before the Assistant Commissioner.

¶5Admittedly, as on the date of the Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, proceedings were pending before any court/authority.

¶6This Court had several occasions to consider such cases, where writ petitions are filed long after the provisions contained in Sections 79A, 79B and 79C were omitted from the statute book in terms of the Karnataka

Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Act, 2020. It is the consistent opinion of this Court that if at any rate, the Assistant Commissioner, after forfeiting the land has not disposed of the same in accordance with law then the benefit of the saving clause contained in Section 12 of the Amending Act is required to be given to such petitioners. The Assistant Commissioner is therefore, required to ascertain, whether the declared excess lands or forfeited lands still remain with the State Government or has been granted to third parties. If the lands have been granted to third party, then sub-section(1) of Section 12 of the amending Act will apply to say that the proceedings have reached finality. Or otherwise, sub-section (2) of Section 12 of the Amending Act will apply and all further proceedings shall be declared as abated by the Assistant Commissioner.

¶7Having considered the submission of the learned Counsels and on perusing the judgment of the co-ordinate Bench in W.P.No.7821/2021, this Court finds that

facts and circumstances in both these matters are quite similar and therefore, the benefit of the decision of the co-ordinate bench should also enure to the petitioner herein.

¶8Accordingly, this Court proceeds to pass the following: ORDER

i) The writ petition is disposed of.

ii) The matter is remanded back to the respondent-Assistant Commissioner to consider the case of the petitioner including the consequences of the subsequent amendment brought to the provisions of Sections 79-A and 79-B of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act in Karnataka Amendment No.56 of 2020.

iii) If revenue entries have been altered pursuant to the impugned order dated

17.07.2009, the same shall be restored in favour of the petitioner.

iv) The petitioner shall appear before the respondent-Assistant Commissioner on

15.05.2026, without waiting for further notice from the Assistant Commissioner. Ordered accordingly. Learned Additional Government Advocate is permitted to file memo of appearance within a period of four weeks from today.

Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE

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