- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14436 WP No. 107585 of 2025 C/W WP No. 107682 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA,AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 28TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA WRIT PETITION NO. 107585 OF 2025 (CS-EL/M) C/W WRIT PETITION NO. 107682 OF 2025 IN WP NO. 107585/2025 BETWEEN: 1. MALLAPPA MAHADEV SONDI, AGE. 61 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. SAVADI, TQ. ATHANI, DIST. BELAGAVI, SL NO. 5311. 2. JAGANNATH S/O BASAPPA AWATI, AGE. 57 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. SAVADI, TQ. ATHANI, DIST. BELAGAVI, SL NO.5217. 3. SIDDAPPA S/O APPANNA MUDAKANNAVAR, AGE. 66 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. SAVADI, TQ. ATHANI, DIST. BELAGAVI, SL NO.1392. 4. SARASWATI W/O MALLAPPA NEMGOUD, AGE. 45 YEARS, OCC. HOUSEWIFE, Digitally signed by RAKESH S HARIHAR Location: High Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench, Dharwad - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14436 WP No. 107585 of 2025 C/W WP No. 107682 of 2025 R/O. JHUNJARWAD, TQ. ATHANI, DIST. BELAGAVI, SL NO. 2031. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. PRASHANT MATHAPATI, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATION M.S. BUILDING 6TH FLOOR, BENGALURU- 560001. 2. THE REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, NO.1 ALI-ASKAR ROAD, BENGALURU- 560052. 3. CO-OPERATIVE ELECTION AUTHORITY, 3RD FLOOR, SHANTI NAGAR, T.T.M.C. “A” BLOCK SHANTINAGAR, BENGALURU- 560027. REP. BY ITS SECRETARY. 4. DISTRICT CO-OPERATIVE ELECTION OFFICER, AND DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES CHIKKODI, BELAGAVI, DIST. BELAGAVI. 5. RETURNING OFFICER, KRISHNA CO-OPERATIVE SUGAR FACTORY LTD., AND DEPUTTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, BELAGAVI. 6. KRISHNA CO-OPERATIVE SUGAR FACTORY LIMITED, ATHANI, DIST. BEALGAVI, REPRESENTED BY CEO, KRISHNA CO-OPERATIVE - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14436 WP No. 107585 of 2025 C/W WP No. 107682 of 2025 SUGAR FACTORY LIMITED, ATHANI, DIST. BELAGAVI. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. SANJANA S. MUDHOL, ADVOCATE FOR R6) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA IS PRAYING TO A) ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI QUASHING THE INELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST ISSUED BY RESPONDENT NO.4 MARKED AT ANNEXURE-B IN SO FAR AS PETITIONERS ARE CONCERNED IN THE ELECTION TO THE BOARD OF 6TH RESPONDENT SOCIETY FOR THE TERM 2026 TO 2031; B) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO CONDUCT THE ELECTIONS TO THE 6TH RESPONDENT SOCIETY FOR THE TERM 2026-2031 SCHEDULED TO BE HELD ON 26-10-2025, PERMITTING THE PETITIONERS TO CAST THEIR VOTE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION PROCESS IN TERMS OF ANNEXURE- A DATED 26-10-2025 ISSUED BY RESPONDENT NO.5 CALENDAR OF EVENTS DATED 03-10-2025; C) PASS SUCH OTHER ORDERS AS THIS HON’BLE COURT DEEMS FIT IN THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE, INCLUDING COSTS, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. IN WP NO. 107682/2025 BETWEEN: BABU S/O RAMU HULYAL AGE: 60 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: RADDERHATTI, TQ. ATHANI, DIST. BELAGAVI- 591240. SL.NO. 3681. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. PRASHANT MATHAPATI, ADVOCATE) - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14436 WP No. 107585 of 2025 C/W WP No. 107682 of 2025 AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATION M.S. BUILDING, 6TH FLOOR, BENGALURU- 560001. 2. THE REGISTRAR OF CO OPERATIVE SOCIETIES GOVERNMENT OF KARNATKAA NO.1, ALI-ASKAR ROAD, BENGALURU- 560052. 3. CO-OPERATIVE ELECTION AUTHORITY 3RD FLOOR, SHANTINAGAR T.T.M.C. “A” BLOCK, SHANTI NAGAR, BENGALURU- 560027, REP. BY ITS SECRETARY. 4. DISTRICT CO-OPERATIVE ELECTION OFFICER AND JOINT REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES BELAGAVI, DIST. BELAGAVI- 591234. 5. RETURNING OFFICER, KRISHNA CO-OPERATIVE SUGAR FACTORY LTD., AND DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OEPRATIVE SOCIETIES, BELAGAVI- 591234. 6. KRISHNA CO-OPERATIVE SUGAR FACTORY LIMITED, ATHANI, DIST. BELAGAVI- 591230, REPRESENTED BY ITS CEO. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RAMESH CHIGARI, AGA FOR R1 TO R5, SMT. SANJANA S. MUDHOL, ADVOCATE FOR R6) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA IS PRAYING TO A) ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI QUASHING THE INELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST ISSUED - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14436 WP No. 107585 of 2025 C/W WP No. 107682 of 2025 BY RESPONDENT NO.4 MARKED AT ANNEXURE-B IN SO FAR AS PETITIONER IS CONCERNED IN THE ELECTION TO THE BOARD OF 6TH RESPONDENT SOCIETY FOR THE TERM 2026 TO 2031; B) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO CONDUCT THE ELECTIONS TO THE 6TH RESPONDENT SOCIETY FOR THE TERM 2026-2031 SCHEDULED TO BE HELD ON 26.10.2025, PERMITTING THE PETITIONER TO CAST THEIR VOTE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION PROCESS IN TERMS OF ANNEXURE- A DATED 03.10.2025 ISSUED BY RESPONDENT NO.5; C) PASS SUCH OTHER ORDERS AS THIS HON’BLE COURT DEEMS FIT IN THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE, INCLUDING COSTS, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE. THESE WRIT PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA) 1. Learned counsel appearing for the parties in unison would submit that, the issue in the lis stands covered by judgment rendered by Coordinate Bench of this Court in W.P. No.8502/2022 C/w. W.P. No.8477/2022, disposed off on 7th June 2022. The Coordinate Bench of this Court held as follows: “8. In the light of these rival submissions, the question for consideration is: - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14436 WP No. 107585 of 2025 C/W WP No. 107682 of 2025 Whether these writ petitions must be disposed of directing the Returning Officer [the fourth respondent and sixth respondents in the respective petitions to announce the results of the elections held on 23.04.2022 including the votes cast by the petitioners. 9. The provisions of Rule 13-D (2-A) of the Rules read as hereunder: (3) The Election Officer shall take steps for publication of voters list in the following manner, namely:- (a) for publication of draft eligible electoral list, a list of defaulters, a list of members whose repayment falls due, before the election date clear fifty days; (b) for calling objections, if any, calling upon the defaulter members to repay the amounts due to the co-operative societies on or before thirty clear days prior to the date of election; (c) the scrutiny and verification of the voters list after payment by defaulters etc., clear twenty days before the ate of election. (d) for publication of final eligible voters list before fifteen clear days prior to the date of election. The underlining is by this Court. 10. These provisions do not leave any room for doubt that an excluded member, with the publication of the Draft Eligible Electoral List, must have an opportunity by way of an individual notice to file objections on exclusion from the Electoral List. It must be shown that the concerned Chief Executive has prepared and sent notice to the affected members. The Public Notice dated - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14436 WP No. 107585 of 2025 C/W WP No. 107682 of 2025 8.11.20211 does not meet these requirements. In fact, it is admitted on behalf of the respondents that there are deficiencies in the preparation of the Final Electoral Roll after the publication of the Draft Eligible Electoral List, and the petitioners have not been issued with individual notices. 11. The Hon’ble Supreme Court in Shri Sant Sadguru Janardan Swami (Moingiri Maharaj) Sahakari Dugha Utpadak Sanstha and Another v. State of Maharashtra and Others supra has held as follows: ‘7. A perusal of the Rules discloses that the preparation of provisional list of voters, filing of objection against the provisional list of voters, consideration of the objection by the Collector and finalising the list of voters, all occur in the Rules which cover the entire process of the election. The 1 This Public Notice reads as follows: ¸ÀAWÀzÀ ¨ÉʯÁ wzÀÄÝ¥Àr DzÉñÀ ¸ÀASÉå: r Dgï ªÉÊ: Dgï.J¸ï.Dgï.JA.J.©.¹.Dgï-16/2018- 19 ¢£ÁAPÀ 16.11.2018 gÀAvÉ ¸ÀºÀPÁgÀ ¸ÀAWÀUÀ¼À G¥À¤§AzsÀPÀgÀÄ, ªÀÄAqÀå f¯Éè, ªÀÄAqÀågÀªÀgÀÄ ¨ÉʯÁ wzÀÄݪÀrAiÀÄ£ÀÄß D£ÀĪÉÆâ¹ £ÉÆAzÁ¬Ä¹gÀÄvÁÛgÉ. CzÀgÀAvÉ '©' vÀgÀUÀw gÉÊvÀ ¸ÀzÀ¸ÀågÀ µÉÃj£À ªÀÄÄR¨É¯É gÀÆ.1000.00 UÀ¼ÀÄ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ µÉÃgÀÄ ±ÀÄ®ÌzÀ ¨Á§Ä gÀÆ.100.00 UÀ¼ÀÄ DVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. ªÀiÁ£Àå '©' vÀgÀUÀw ¸ÀzÀ¸ÀågÁzÀ vÀªÀÄä µÉÃgÀÄ ªÉƧ®UÀÄ gÀÆ.500.00UÀ¼ÀÄ EzÀÄÝ ¨ÁQ µÉÃgÀÄ ªÉƧ®UÀÄ gÀÆ.500.00UÀ¼ÀÄ PÀrªÉÄ EgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. EzÀgÀ eÉÆvÉUÉ ¨ÁQ EgÀĪÀ µÉÃgÀÄ ±ÀÄ®Ì gÀÆ.90.00UÀ¼ÀÄ ¸ÉÃj MlÄÖ gÀÆ590,00UÀ¼À£ÀÄß ¥ÁªÀw¸À®Ä ºÁUÀÆ ªÀiÁ£Àå '©' vÀgÀUÀw PÉ®ªÀÅ ¸ÀzÀ¸ÀågÀ µÉÃgÀÄ ªÉƧ®UÀÄ gÀÆ.100.00UÀ¼ÀÄ EzÀÄÝ. ¨ÁQ µÉÃgÀÄ ªÉƧ®UÀÄ gÀÆ900.00UÀ¼ÀÄ PÀrªÉÄ EgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. EzÀgÀ eÉÆvÉUÉ ¨ÁQ EgÀĪÀ µÉÃgÀÄ ¸ÀÄ®Ì gÀÆ 100.00UÀ¼ÀÄ ¸ÉÃj MlÄÖ gÀÆ 1000.00UÀ¼À£ÀÄß ¢£ÁAPÀ:11.12.2021 gÉƼÀUÉ ¸ÀAWÀPÉÌ ¥ÁªÀw¸ÀĪÀAvÉ F ªÀÄÆ®PÀ vÀªÀÄUÉ w½¹zÉ. ªÀÄÄAzÀĪÀjzÀÄ EzÀ®èzÉ PÀ£ÁðlPÀ ¸ÀºÀPÁgÀ ¸ÀAWÀUÀ¼À C¢ü¤AiÀÄ£ÀÄ 1959gÀ ¥ÀæPÀgÀt 20(2) (J4) ºÁUÀÆ (J5)gÀrAiÀÄ°è£À CªÀPÁ±ÀUÀ¼ÀAvÉAiÀÄÆ CºÀðvÉAiÀÄÆ ºÉÆA¢gÀ¨ÉÃPÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. vÀ¦àzÀ°è ªÀÄÄAzÉ d£ÀªÀj 2022gÀ ªÀiÁºÉAiÀÄ°è £ÀqÉAiÀÄ°gÀĪÀ DqÀ½vÀ ªÀÄAqÀ° ZÀÄ£ÁªÀuÉAiÀÄ°è ªÀÄvÀ ZÀ¯Á¬Ä¸À®Ä ºÁUÀÆ ¸Àà¢üð¸À®Ä CªÀPÁ±À«gÀĪÀÅ¢®è JA§ «µÀAiÀĪÀ£ÀÄß F ªÀÄÆ®PÀ vÀªÀÄUÉ w½¸À¯ÁVzÉ. - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14436 WP No. 107585 of 2025 C/W WP No. 107682 of 2025 Rules framed for election of specified societies are complete code in itself providing for the entire process of election beginning from the stage of preparation of the provisional voters list, decision on the objection by the Collector, finalisation of electoral rolls, holding of election and declaration of result of the election. In view of the scheme of the Act and Rules, the preparation of voters' list must be held to be part of the election process for constituting managing committee of a specified society. 12. In view of our finding that preparation of the electoral roll is being an intermediate stage in the process of election of the managing committee of a specified society and the election process having been set in motion, it is well settled that the High Court should not stay the continuation of the election process even though there may be some alleged illegality or breach of rules while preparing the electoral roll. It is not disputed that the election in question has already been held and the result thereof has been stayed by an order of this Court, and once the result of the election is declared, it would be open to the appellant to challenge the election of returned candidate, if aggrieved, by means of an election petition before the election tribunal.’ 12. It follows from this decision that the adjudication of all questions must be as provided under Section 70(2) of the Co-operative Societies Act2. 2 70. Disputes which may be referred to Registrar for decision.- (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, if any dispute touching the constitution, management, or the business of a co-operative society arises,— (a) xxxxxxxxx - 9 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14436 WP No. 107585 of 2025 C/W WP No. 107682 of 2025 However, in the present case the respondents admit that there are deficiencies in finalization of Final Electoral List. The petitioners are admittedly not issued with individual notice as required under the provisions of Rule13-D (2-A) of the Co-operative Societies Rules; the petitioners have now cast their votes in the elections on 23.04.2022; the petitioners are not given the opportunity to show cause against the allegations that they have created documents. The respondents, despite admitting deficiencies in finalisation of the Final Electoral List, want to invoke the rule of alternative remedy. This Court is of the considered view that, in the peculiarities of this case, the writ petitions should be disposed of with directions to the concerned respondent to announce results counting even the votes cast by the petitioners and with liberty to all the concerned to avail remedy under Section 70(2) of the Act if aggrieved by the results. If such remedy is availed raising a dispute, exclusion of votes of those petitioners who are guilty of fraud can also be considered based on the material that will be placed on record. Therefore, writ petitions are disposed of calling upon the Returning Officer [the fourth respondent/sixth respondent in the respective petitions] to announce the result forthwith including the votes cast by the petitioners in both the petitions. All the contentions are left open for consideration in appropriate proceedings, if commenced.” (2). For the purposes of sub-section (1), the following shall be deemed to be disputes touching the constitution, management or the business of a co-operative society, namely:— (a). XXXXXXXXXXX (b). XXXXXXXXXXXXX (c). any dispute arising in connection with the election of a President, Vice- president, Chairman, Vice-chairman, Secretary, Treasurer or Member of Committee of the society. - 10 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14436 WP No. 107585 of 2025 C/W WP No. 107682 of 2025 2. Learned counsel would submit that, if the same order is passed, it would suffice in these cases also. 3. In that light, the writ petitions are disposed calling upon the respondent – Returning Officer to announce the result forthwith including the votes cast by the petitioners. All the contentions are left open for consideration in appropriate proceedings, if commenced. Sd/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE KGK/CT-GTB List No.: 2 Sl No.: 19