- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:8388 WP No. 5371 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE N S SANJAY GOWDA WRIT PETITION NO. 5371 OF 2025 (LB-RES) BETWEEN: 1. SRI THANEMAN BIN ZAHEEER AHAMED AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, R/A SRI, SHAILA NAILAYA NEAR GENERAL HOSTEL DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR CIRCLE, BELUR HASSAN DISTRICT - 573115. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SATHISHA D J., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REP BY ASSISTANT SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT 4TH FLOOR, VIKAS SOUDHA, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BANGALORE - 560 001 2. TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL BELUR TOWN, HASSAN HASSAN DISTRICT - 573115 REP BY ITS CHIEF OFFICER …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RAHUL CARIAPPA., AGA FOR R-1; SRI. A.NAGARAJAPPA., ADVOCATE FOR R-2) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO DIRECT TO THE R-2 TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL BELUR TO CONSIDER THE REPRESENTATION BY THE PETITIONER DATED. 21.12.2024 Digitally signed by KIRAN KUMAR R Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:8388 WP No. 5371 of 2025 (ANNEXURE-D) AND ANOTHER REPRESENTATION DATED. 12.02.2025 (ANNEXURE-F), ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE N S SANJAY GOWDA ORAL ORDER 1. The petitioner is seeking a direction to the 2nd respondent to consider his representation dated 21.12.2024 by which he had exercised his right of first refusal and also the representation dated 12.02.2025, copies of which are produced at Annexures-D and F respectively. 2. It is not in dispute that the petitioner was the existing lessee in respect of shop No.8 and this shop was sought to be auctioned for a period of 12 years and as required under the Circular dated 19.07.2019, the petitioner was afforded a right of first refusal. The clause which relates to award of right of first refusal is in the following terms: - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:8388 WP No. 5371 of 2025 “13. ¸ÀAzÀ¨sÀð-03gÀ£ÀéAiÀÄ ¸ÁªÀðd¤PÀ §»gÀAUÀ ºÀgÁdÄ ªÀÄÆ®PÀ CAUÀr ªÀĽUÉUÀ¼À£ÀÄß «¯ÉêÁj ªÀiÁqÀĪÁUÀ ºÁ° EgÀĪÀ ªÁtÂdå ¸ÀAQÃtðzÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀgÀÄ ªÉÆzÀ®Ä ¸ÁªÀiÁ£Àå §»gÀAUÀ ºÀgÁdÄ ¥ÀæQæAiÉÄAiÀÄ°è ¨sÁUÀªÀ»¸ÀĪÀ CxÀªÁ Right of First Refusal £ÀÄß DAiÉÄÌ ªÀiÁrPÉƼÀÄîªÀ ¸ÀA§AzsÀ AiÀiÁªÀÅzÁzÀgÀÄ MAzÀ£ÀÄß DAiÉÄÌ ªÀiÁrPÉÆAqÀÄ F §UÉÎ °TvÀªÁV £ÀUÀgÀ ¸ÀܽÃAiÀÄ ¸ÀA¸ÉÜUÉ ºÀgÁdÄ ¢£ÁAPÀPÉÌ MAzÀÄ ªÁgÀ ªÀÄÄAavÀªÁV w½AiÀÄ¥Àr¸ÀvÀPÀÌzÀÄÝ. ¤UÀ¢üvÀ ¢£ÁAPÀzÉƼÀUÉ °TvÀªÁV w½¸À¢zÀÝ°è CAvÀºÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀgÀÄ Right of First Refusal £ÀÄß DAiÉÄÌ ªÀiÁrPÉƼÀî®Ä CªÀPÁ±À«gÀĪÀÅ¢®è ºÁUÀÆ CAvÀºÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀgÀÄ ¸ÁªÀiÁ£Àå §»gÀAUÀ ºÀgÁdÄ ¥ÀæQæAiÉÄAiÀÄ°è ¨sÁUÀªÀ»¸ÀÄvÁÛgÉAzÀÄ ¥ÀjUÀt¸À¯ÁUÀĪÀÅzÀÄ. MAzÀÄ ªÉÃ¼É ºÁ° EgÀĪÀ ªÁtÂdå ¸ÀAQÃtðzÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀgÀÄ Right of First Refusal £ÀÄß DAiÉÄÌ ªÀiÁrPÉÆAqÀ°è ¸ÀAzÀ¨sÀð-03gÀ£ÀéAiÀÄ ¸ÁªÀðd¤PÀ §»gÀAUÀ ºÀgÁdÄ ªÀÄÆ®PÀ «¯ÉêÁj ªÀiÁqÀĪÁUÀ CAvÀºÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀjUÉ ¸ÁªÀiÁ£Àå ºÀgÁdÄ ¥ÀæQæAiÉÄAiÀÄ°è CAwªÀÄ ©qï ªÉÆvÀÛPÉÌ Right of First Refusal gÀAvÉ ±ÉÃ.5 gÀµÀÄÖ ºÉaÑUÉ ¤UÀ¢ü¥Àr¹ ªÀĽUÉ ¨ÁrUÉUÉ ¥ÀqÉAiÀÄ®Ä CªÀPÁ±À PÀ°à¹PÉÆqÀĪÀÅzÀÄ. ¸ÀzÀj ©qï ªÉÆvÀÛPÉÌ ±ÉÃ.5 gÀµÀÄÖ ºÉaÑUÉ ¤UÀ¢ü¥Àr¹zÀ ©qï ªÉÆvÀÛªÀ£ÀÄß ¥ÁªÀw¹ CAUÀr ¨ÁrUÉ ¥ÀqÉAiÀÄ®Ä ºÁ° EgÀĪÀ ªÁtÂdå ¸ÀAQÃtðzÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀgÀÄ M¥Àà¢zÀÝ°è ¸ÁªÀiÁ£Àå ºÀgÁdÄ ¥ÀæQæAiÉÄAiÀÄ°è ¨sÁUÀªÀ»¹ AiÀıÀ¹éAiÀiÁzÀ CAwªÀÄ ©qÁÝgÀjUÉ ªÀĽUÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¨ÁrUÉUÉ ¤ÃqÀĪÀÅzÀÄ.” 3. The petitioner exercised his option of right of first refusal and submitted the representation to the Municipal Council on 21.12.2024 vide Annexure-D. In this representation, he categorically stated that he was exercising his right of first refusal in respect of shop No.8 and was intending to participate in the - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:8388 WP No. 5371 of 2025 auction. This representation was also acknowledged by the Municipal Council, Belur, on the said day. The auction was thereafter conducted on 02.01.2025. 4. The Municipal Council contends that it had issued a notice 03.02.2025 to the petitioner calling upon him to deposit six months’ rent along with GST within 3 days, failing which the bid would be allotted to the highest bidder. 5. It is the case of the petitioner that although he has given a representation on 21.12.2024 exercising his option of right of first refusal, the moment he received the notice dated 03.02.2025 on 11.02.2025, he once again reiterated his request to permit him to continue to run his business in shop No.8, by submitting another representation dated 12.02.2025 vide Annexure-F, but the Municipal Council did not accede to the same and continued to consider the bid of the highest bidder. - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC:8388 WP No. 5371 of 2025 6. As already noticed above, Clause 13 of the Circular dated 19.07.2019 relates to right of first refusal. This clause does not indicate any time frame within which the existing lessee will have to exercise his option and deposit the sum after the auction. In this case, the Municipal Council issued a notice dated 03.02.2025 granting the petitioner only three days time. 7. It is, however, the case of the petitioner that the notice dated 03.02.2025 was received by him only on 11.02.2025 and the petitioner responded to it immediately on 12.02.2025 as per Annexure-F. In my view, since the petitioner was not granted adequate time and given the fact that the petitioner received the notice dated 03.02.2025 only on 11.02.2025, it would be appropriate to direct the Municipal Council to accept the right of first refusal exercised by the petitioner vide Annexure-D and also receive the sums due from the petitioner in order to - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC:8388 WP No. 5371 of 2025 grant him the benefit of right of first refusal within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 8. On the petitioner depositing the sums as required under the Circular pursuant to exercising the option of right of first refusal, the Municipal Council shall extend the lease in favour of the petitioner. 9. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of. Sd/- (N S SANJAY GOWDA) JUDGE PKS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 12