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2025 DAILYLAW 17462 (KAR)

DAMAKESHI SUBHASH v. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA

WP/4549/2025 · 2025-03-21

Suraj Govindaraj

body2025

Judgment text

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- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 21ST DAY OF MARCH, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ WRIT PETITION NO. 4549 OF 2025 (CS-EL/M) BETWEEN: 1. DAMAKESHI SUBHASH S/O SUBRAYYA AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 9144 2. DAMEKODI ANANDA S/O SUBRAYA AGED ABOUT 85 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 9145 3. KUDUKULI J BHARATH S/O JOYAPPA AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 9314 4. KATEMANE GANESH S/O MUTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 78 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 8838 5. KOMBANA K GANESH S/O MUTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 79 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 9086 6. BARIKE M BALAKRISHNA S/O MACHAIAH AGED ABOUT 79 YEARS Digitally signed by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 MEMBERSHIP NO.15018 7. SUTHALE R SOMANNA S/O RAMAPPA AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14975 8. BYTHADAKA S. DEVAIAH S/O SOMAPPA AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14977 9. KUMBAGOWDANA C SOMANNA S/O CHENGAPPA AGED ABOUT 77 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14919 10. KUMBANAGOWDA M VENKATARAMANA S/O MUTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14915 11. ANERA C RAMAKRISHNA S/O CHINNAPPA AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14874 12. MANDIRA S JAGADEESH S/O MUTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14875 13. AMBEKAL K JEEVAN S/O KUSHALAPPA AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14876 - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 14. YALADALU D KESHAVANANDA S/O DEVAIAH AGED ABOUT 78 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14714 15. SHANTEYANDA B KUSHALAPPA S/O BELIYAPPA AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14712 16. MANADAKA S JANAKI W/O LATE SOMAIAH AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14625 17. THUTHAJE R GIRISH S/O RAMAPPA AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14598 18. DAMEKODI C MRUNALINI S/O CHINNAPPA AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14587 19. MUKKATI A LOBAIAH S/O APPACHA AGED ABOUT 68 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14498 20. ANERA B CHANDRAKALA S/O BLAKRISHNA AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14624 21. KOMBAGOWDNA G RAGHU S/O GANAPATHI - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 AGED ABOUT 75 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14432 22. PANDANA K NANJUNDA S/O CARIYAPPA AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14354 23. BYAMANA M RAGHU S/O MUTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 73 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14334 24. KOYLIDA S BASAPPA S/O SOMAIAH AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14198 25. KODAKANDI KAVERAMMA SOMANNA W/O SOMANNA AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14149 26. KUMBAGOWDNA SUNIL S/O GOPAL AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14134 27. SUDHANA A HEMAKUMAR S/O APPAIAH AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14046 28. MADANAKA PONNAPPA S/O POOVAIAH AGED ABOUT 85 YEARS - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 29. K D DAYANANDA S/O DEVAIAH AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13513 30. THALURU S SOMANNA S/O SUBBAIAH AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13498 31. THALURU M KUSHALAPPA S/O MADAIAH AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13495 32. KALLAMBI U CHINAPPA S/O UTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13484 33. PONNACHANA D SUBBAIAH S/O DEVAIAH AGED ABOUT 75 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13485 34. AMBEKAL P KUSHALAPPA S/O PADMAIAH AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13418 35. NYANERA B RAVI S/O BOPAIAH AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13324 36. GUDEMANE B RAMESH S/O BELLIAPPA - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13212 37. KODI U MOTAIAH S/O UTHAIAH AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13168 38. M S SHESHAGIRI S/O SOMAIAH AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13037 39. PANDANA A LOKANATHA S/O AIYAPPA AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 12861 40. DEVANDIRA M GANAPAPATHI S/O MUTHANNA AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 12880 41. AGASARA R MUNISWAMY S/O RAMASWAMY AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 12625 42. DEVANGODI N HARSHA S/O NANJUNDAIAH AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 12493 43. KOPPADA M POOVAIAH S/O MUDDAPPA AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 12287 - 7 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 44. B M JAGADISH RAI S/O MANJAPPA RAI AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 12207 45. KORANA J PADMA W/O JAVAHARA AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 12142 46. KUTTANA S SHANKAR S/O SUBBRAYA AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 11943 47. KATRATHANA B APPAIAH S/O BELLIAPPA AGED ABOUT 78 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 11818 48. PONNACHANA S DEVAIAH S/O SOMAIAH AGED ABOUT 63 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 11903 49. SUDHANA M GANAPATHI S/O MADAPPA AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 11397 50. HUDERI B RAJENDRA S/O BELLIAPPA AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 10717 - 8 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 51. KUDAKANDI M BASAPPA S/O MUDDAIAH AGED ABOUT 78 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 10541 52. HOSUR S RAMAIAH S/O NANJUNDA AGED ABOUT 76 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 10488 53. KODAKANDI M NANJUNDA S/O CHINNAPPA AGED ABOUT 79 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 9960 54. SUDHANA M S/O MADAPPA AGED ABOUT 85 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 9964 55. MADIVALANARA S ANNAIAH S/O SUBBAIAH AGED ABOUT 76 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 9926 56. BHIMANANDA E S/O ERAPPA AGED ABOUT 75 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 9635 57. NAPANDA C GANESH S/O CHINNAPPA AGED ABOUT 79 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 9399 58. KUMBAGOUDNA K OMKARAPPA S/O KARIYAPPA - 9 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 8580 59. BILLAVARA A AELIANNA S/O ITHAPPA AGED ABOUT 83 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 7488 60. BOLIYANDA M PALANGAPPA S/O MUDDAPPA AGED ABOUT 85 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 7516 61. THEKADA S THAMAIAH S/O SHIVAPPA AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13876 62. KADLERA M BALAKRISHNA S/O MUTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 73 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13729 63. KODAPALU GANAPATHI S/O SUBRAYA AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13730 64. ULLUVARANA P MONNAPPA S/O PONNAPPA AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13502 65. THALURU M KUSHALAPPA S/O MADAIAH AGED ABOUT 67 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13495 - 10 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 66. NADUGALLU SOMANNA S/O ACHAPPA AGED ABOUT 75 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13437 67. K G RAGHUNATH S/O GANAPATHI AGED ABOUT 75 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 7553 68. ARAMBURU NAGESH S/O BOPAIAH AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14428 69. AME K GANGADHAR S/O KRISHNAPPA AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14363 70. BAIMANE HARISH S/O BELLIAPPA AGED ABOUT 64 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14248 71. PONNATI B CHINAPPA S/O BELLIAPPA AGED ABOUT 64 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14248 72. KOLYADA S BASAPPA S/O SOMAIAH AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14198 - 11 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 73. KUMBANA D NANAIAH S/O DEVAIAH AGED ABOUT 64 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14187 74. ANERA B CHANDRAKALA W/O BALAKRISHNA AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14624 75. SMT. MANADAKANA S JANAKI W/O SOMAIAH AGED ABOUT 63 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14625 76. PANDANA K NISHANTH S/O KUTTAPPA AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 15008 77. KUKKERA B THIMAIAH S/O BOPAIAH AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14740 78. KUKKERA P SANTHOSH S/O PALANGAPPA AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14756 79. KATTIMANE MURALIDHARA S/O POOVAIAH AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 13261 80. K U YASHODHA W/O ULLAS - 12 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 AGED ABOUT 63 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14978 81. K S RAMAMAIAH S/O SOMAIAH AGED ABOUT 75 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14935 82. KEKAD M SUGUNA W/O MADAPPA AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14733 83. SMT. AIYAGADIDA JANAKI W/O UTHAIAH AGED ABOUT 67 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14588 84. BAIMANA M RAGHU S/O MUTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 76 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14334 85. M M NARENDRA S/O MANJUNATH AGED ABOUT 67 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 12176 86. CHETTIMADA AVINASH S/O APPAIAH AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 15050 87. PORAIYANA P SATISH S/O PONNAPPA AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 15048 - 13 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 88. TALURU DEVARAJ S/O GANAPATHI AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14944 89. TALURU K KUMARADHARA S/O KARIYAPPA AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14577 90. TALURU K KUSUMADHARA S/O KARIYAPPA AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS MEMBERSHIP NO. 14576 ALL ARE MEMBERS OF KODAGU COFFEE BELEGARARA SAHAKARA SANGHA NIYAMITHA, "COFFEE KRUPA", MADIKERI - 571 201, KODAGU DISTRICT. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. JAI PRAKASH REDDY M, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATION, MS BUILDING, BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. THE CO-OPERATIVE ELECTION AUTHORITY CO-OPERATIVE ELECTION AUTHORITY 3RD FLOOR, SHANTHINAGAR BUS STOP, BENGALURU - 560 027 3. THE RETURNING OFFICER - 14 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 SAHAKARA SANGHA NIYAMITHA KODAGU COFFEE BELEGARARA COFFEE KRUPA, MADIKERI - 571 201, KODAGU DISTRICT. 4. THE KODAGU COFFEE BELEGARARA SAHAKARA SANGHA NIYAMITHA, COFFEE KRUPA, MADIKERI - 571 201, KODAGU DISTRICT BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER SOCIETY REGISTERED UNDER KARNATAKA CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES ACT - 1959. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. YOGESH D. NAIK, AGA FOR R1 AND R3; SRI. T.L. KIRAN KUMAR, ADVOCATE FOR R2; SRI. S. RAJASHEKAR, ADVOCATE FOR R4) THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECTION DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO INCLUDE THE NAMES OF THE PETITIONERS IN THE ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST AND PERMIT THEM TO CAST THEIR VOTES IN TE ENSUING ELECTIONS TO THE MANAGING COMMITTEE OF RESPONDENT NO.4 SOCIETY SCHEDULE TO BE HELD ON 16-02-2025 AS PER CALENDAR OF EVENTS DATED 30-01-2025 IN NO. NIL VIDE ANNEXURE-B ISSUED BY RESPONDENT NO.3, PASS ANY SUCH OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION THAT DEEMS FIT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES EXPLAINED ABOVE, IN THE ENDS OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 15 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ ORAL ORDER 1. This Court by way of various interim orders had permitted the petitioners who were declared to be ineligible voters to cast their vote in the elections of the Society, subject to the result of the writ petition and that the votes cast by the petitioners shall be kept in separate ballot boxes. 2. A Coordinate Bench of this Court in the case of H.S.Raju vs. State of Karnataka & others1 has after considering the matter in detail come to a categorical conclusion that any irregularity in the conduct of election a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India would not be the proper remedy any dispute as regards the eligibility or ineligibility and the deficiencies in finalization of final electoral list, could only be considered in a dispute raised as regard the election under Section 70 (2) of the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959 after the announcement of the results by counting even the votes cast by the petitioners. 1 W.P.No.8502/2022 dated 7.6.2022 - 16 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 3. The said judgment not having been challenged and having attained finality, the fact being more or less similar would equally apply to the present matter. 4. In that view of the matter, I pass the following: ORDER i) The Writ Petition is disposed of. ii) The Returning Officer is directed to announce the result within seven days of the receipt of a copy of this order by taking into account the votes cast by the petitioners in the above matter. iii) In the event of any proceeding being filed in relation to the results of the election under Section 70 (2) of the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959, all the contentions raised herein and any that may be raised are left open for consideration in accordance with the applicable law, this Court has not expressed any opinion on those issues. iv) The votes cast by the respective petitioners which had been directed to be kept in separate box shall continue to be retained in a separate box until the - 17 - NC: 2025:KHC:12037 WP No. 4549 of 2025 disposal of the dispute if any raised within the time frame prescribed. VS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 5 CT: BHK Sd/- (SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE