- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:16966-DB CCC No. 836 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 22ND DAY OF APRIL, 2025 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. N. V. ANJARIA, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND CCC NO. 836 OF 2024 (CIVIL) BETWEEN: 1. MR. SATHISH KUMAR S/O. MR. H. RAJU AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, R/AT NO.2-7-468/1 SKANDA NILAYA 7TH CROSS ROAD, BIJAI KAPIKADU, MANGALORE - 574 002 WORKING IN MANGALORE CITY CORPORATION MANGALORE. 2. MR. S. NAVEEN S/O. LATE THUKRA MESTRI AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS R/AT NO.2-8-1156, SUTTUR PETE, 7TH CROSS ROAD KANKANADI POST MANGALORE - 574 002. WORKING AS MANGALORE CITY CORPORATION MANGALORE. …COMPLAINANTS (BY SRI B. KESHAVA MURTHY, ADVOCATE) Digitally signed by PRABHAKAR SWETHA KRISHNAN Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:16966-DB CCC No. 836 of 2024 AND: 1. MR. UMASHANKAR PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT VIKAS SOUDHA BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT VIKASA SOUDHA DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU - 560 001. …ACCUSED (BY SRI S.H. RAGHAVENDRA, AGA) THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 215 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA R/W SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF CONTEMPT OF COURT ACT, 1971, BY THE COMPLAINANT, WHEREIN PRAYS THAT THE HON'BLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO INITIATE CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE ACCUSED NO.1 HEREIN AND PUNISH HIM UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURT ACT, FOR DISOBEDIENCE OF THE ORDER DATED 26.07.2023 PASSED BY THIS HON'BLE COURT IN WP NO.16205/2023 (S-RES) IS SUBMITTED AT ANNEXURE-A. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:16966-DB CCC No. 836 of 2024 CORAM: HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. JUSTICE N. V. ANJARIA and HON'BLE MR JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND ORAL JUDGMENT (PER: HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. JUSTICE N. V. ANJARIA) Heard learned advocate Mr. B. Keshava Murthy for the complainants and learned Additional Government Advocate Mr. S.H. Raghavendra for the respondents. 2. Learned Single Judge by the order dated 26.07.2023 disposed of the writ petition, granting relief to the complainants- petitioners in terms of the order dated 04.07.2023 passed in another Writ Petition No.5563 of 2020 and connected matters. The benefit which was accorded to the petitioners was that for equal pay for equal work. The petitioners were the employees of the Mangalore Mahanagara Palike, Mangaluru on the post of pump operator/water man. 3. The compliance affidavit came to filed by the respondents along with which copy of the endorsement/order dated 12.09.2024 passed by the Commissioner, City Corporation, Mangaluru, was produced. The claim of the petitioners were negatived stating that - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:16966-DB CCC No. 836 of 2024 there was no provision to give equal pay for equal work to the petitioners, who have employed on temporary basis by way of outsourcing as per the agreement with the contracting agency. 4. In the above view, the direction of consideration of the case has been complied with. 5. The contempt court is not concerned with the merits of the decision which may have been taken in compliance. 6. As requested by learned advocate for the complainants, liberty is reserved for the complainants to challenge the aforementioned endorsement/order dated 12.09.2024 by filing independent proceedings in accordance with law, in respect of which, however, this court does not express any opinion on merits. 7. In that view, the contempt petition is disposed of as not surviving. Sd/- (N. V. ANJARIA) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (K. V. ARAVIND) JUDGE KPS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 51