Thejas B Reddy v. State of Karnataka

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 10TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS WRIT PETITION NO. 1460 OF 2026 (SCST) BETWEEN:

THEJAS B. REDDY S/O K. BHASKAR REDDY AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS R/AT NO.444, 1ST CROSS, B.Y.NARAYANAREDDY LAYOUT, HORAMAVU MAIN ROAD, BANASAWADI, BENGALURU-560 043. …PETITIONER (BY SRI.VINAYAKA P.HATTARAKIHAL, ADVOCATE) AND:

¶1STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE VIKASA SOUDHA, DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR ROAD BENGALURU-560 001 REPRESENTED BY SECRETARY.

¶2THE DY. COMMISSIONER KOLAR DISTRICT REVENUE COURT BUILDING, KOLAR PIN -563 101.

¶3THE ASST. COMMISSIONER, KOLAR SUB-DIVISION, KOLAR, PIN - 563 101.

¶4THE TAHASILDAR SRINIVASAPURA TALUK by SHARADAVANI B Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA e -e2e-eeeee e e NC:(2026:KHC:8112 WP(No.(1460(of(2026 SRINIVASAPURA,,PIN,563,135,, KOLAR,DISTRICT.,

5., MUNIVENKATARAM,, S/O,LINGAPPA,, AGED,ABOUT,38,YEARS, R/AT,NARAYANAPURA, MAJARA,VILLAGE,,YELDUR,HOBLI, SRINIVASAPURA,,PIN,-563,138, KOLAR,DISTRICT.,

6., SHAHID,ULLA,KHAN, S/O,LATE,ABDUL,RAFIK,ULLA,KHAN, AGED,ABOUT,73,YEARS, R/AT,NO.140/C,15TH,MAIN,, 4TH,BLOCK,,KORAMANGALA,, BENGALURU-560,034.,

7., FAYAZ,AHMED, S/O,LATE,HYDER,SABI, AGED,ABOUT,68,YEARS, R/AT,VIJAYALAKSHMI,COLONY, BRINDAVANA,ASHRAMA, WHITEFIELD,ROAD,,KADUGODI, BENGALURU-560,067.,

8., B.V.,NARAYANA, S/O,LATE,PATTABHIRAMAIAH, AGED,ABOUT,64,YEARS, R/AT,MUDIYANUR,VILLAGE, DUGGASANDRA,HOBLI, MULABAGILU,TALUK, KOLAR,DISTRICT, PIN,-563,127., …RESPONDENTS, (BY,SRI.SHAMANTH,NAIK,,HCGP,FOR,R1,TO,R4), , THIS,W.P.,IS,FILED,UNDER,ARTICLES,226,AND,227,OF, THE,CONSTITUTION,OF,INDIA,PRAYING,TO,DIRECT,TO,R-2,TO, DISPOSE,THE,APPEAL,FILED,BY,THE,PETITIONER,/,APPELLANT,

IN CASE KSC-ST APPEAL NO.4/2026 AS PER ANNX-A TO THE WRIT PETITION AND 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 On 03.02.2026 this Court has passed the following order:- "Learned High Court Government Pleader takes notice for respondent Nos.1 to 4. Notice to respondent Nos.5 to 8 is not necessary for the time being. Learned counsel for petitioner is directed to serve copies of the petition along with annexures on the learned High Court Government Pleader. This is yet another case where the petitioner has approached this Court seeking a direction to the Deputy Commissioner to consider his interlocutory application/interim prayer for stay of the orders passed by the Assistant Commissioner under the provisions of the Karnataka Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978. Earlier this Court had directed the Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, to issue a circular and direct the Deputy Commissioners in the State before whom appeals are filed questioning the orders passed by the Assistant Commissioner along with an application for stay of the orders passed by the Assistant Commissioner, to take up the interlocutory application and pass necessary orders of stay to enable consideration of the appeal.

However, this Court finds that the revenue entries are being mutated pursuant to the orders passed by the Assistant Commissioner and the grantees/legal heirs are seeking restoration of the lands, even before the appeal is considered. However, till date the circular has not been issued and as a consequence, this Court is flooded with these type of writ petitions where directions are being sought to the Deputy Commissioner to consider the application for stay. Re-list this matter 04.02.2026, to enable the learned High Court Government Pleader to secure instructions and communicate as to whether such a circular is issued by the Principal Secretary, Revenue Department or not. If circular is not issued, then the Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, is required to appear before this Court and answer as to why the directions issued by this Court are not complied with. A copy of this order shall be furnished to the learned High Court Government Pleader."

¶2Today the learned HCGP has furnished a copy of a communication dated 30.01.2026 made by the Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department to all the Deputy Commissioners in the State bringing to their notice the orders passed by this Court and it has been directed that the Deputy Commissioners in the States shall comply with the directions issued by this Court and pass orders on the applications for stay that would be filed along with the appeals in the matters

arising out of the provisions of the Karnataka SC/ST PTCL Act, 1978.

¶3Consequently, the writ petition stands disposed of with a direction to respondent No.2 Deputy Commissioner, Kolar District to pass orders considering IA No.1/2026 filed by the petitioner along with the appeal which is registered as K.SC/ST Appeal No.4/2026 on the next date of hearing, if not already passed. Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE GPG List No.: 1 Sl No.: 28