Mr.V.P.Nisami v. The State of Karnataka

NC:(2026:KHC:9627( WP(No.(3212(of(2026( ( , ,,HC-KAR( ( ( IN(THE(HIGH(COURT(OF(KARNATAKA(AT(BENGALURU(

THDATED(THIS(THE(17 (DAY(OF(FEBRUARY,(2026(

BEFORE( THE(HON'BLE(MR.(JUSTICE(R(DEVDAS( WRIT(PETITION(NO.(3212(OF(2026((LR)( ( BETWEEN:(( ( , MR.,V.P.NISAMI, S/O.,ABDUL,REHMAN,,, AGED,ABOUT,49,YEARS,,, R/O.,VADAKKEY,PEEDIYAKAL,HOUSE,,, MANGALAM,,TIRUR,TALUK,,, MALAPPURAM,DISTRICT,,, KERALA,STATE-676,561., …PETITIONER, , (BY,SRI.,NAGARAJA,R.C.,,ADVOCATE), , AND:( (

1., THE,STATE,OF,KARNATAKA, REVENUE,DEPARTMENT,,, Digitally signedtiby VIDHANA,SOUDHA,,, LAKSHMI0T DR.,B.R.,AMBEDKAR,VEEDHI,,, Location: High0Court BENGALURU-560,001., of0Karnataka REPRESENTED,BY,ITS,SECRETARY., ,

2., THE,ASSISTANT,COMMISSIONER,, KOLLEGALA,SUB-DIVISION,,, CHAMARAJANAGAR,DISTRICT-571,440., ,

3., THE,THASILDHAR, GUNDLUPET,TALUK,,, GUNDLUPET-571,111., …RESPONDENTS, , (BY,SRI.,SHAMANTH,NAIK,,HCGP),

THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER PASSED IN LRF NO.102/2013-14 DATED 28.04.2015 BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, KOLLEGALA SUB-DIVISION, CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT, PRODUCED AT ANNEXURE-A AS ILLEGAL.

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 High Court Government Pleader takes notice for all the respondents.

¶2This writ petition has been filed aggrieved by order passed by respondent No.2-Assistant Commissioner in proceedings bearing No.LRF.102/2013-14 dated 28.4.2015 at Annexure-A.

¶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.

¶4Admittedly, as on the date of the Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, proceedings were pending before any Court/authority.

¶5This 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 petitioner.

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 Assistant Commissioner.

¶6Having considered the submission of learned Counsel for the petitioner and on perusing the judgment of the co-ordinate Bench in W.P.No.7821/2021, this Court finds that the 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.

¶7Accordingly, 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 consequences of 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

28.04.2015, the same shall be restored in favour of the petitioner.

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

09.03.2026, without waiting for further notice from the Assistant Commissioner. Ordered accordingly.

Learned High Court Government Pleader is permitted to file memo of appearance within a period of four weeks from today.

Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE

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