- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46065-DB WA No. 1480 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 12TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH AND THE HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE TARA VITASTA GANJU WRIT APPEAL NO. 1480 OF 2024 (S-RES) BETWEEN: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS UNDER SECRETARY TO GOVT., DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY, M.S.BUILDING, BENGALURU-560 001. 2. THE DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT SECURITY PRESS, 3RD GROUND FLOOR, VIKASA SOUDHA, BENGALURU-560 001. 3. THE DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT SECURITY PRESS, MYSURU ROAD, BENGALURU URBAN - 560 059. …APPELLANTS (BY SRI. REBUEN JACOB., AAG A/W SRI. MOHAMMAD JAFFAR SHAH., AGA) AND: 1. UMESHA.T.N. S/O NAGARAJAPPA, AGED 42 YEARS, RANGANATHAPURA, MADALURU (P), SIRA (T), TUMAKURU (D) PIN-572 137. 2. KANTHARAJU.T., - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46065-DB WA No. 1480 of 2024 S/O LATE THIMMAIAH, AGED 46 YEARS, NO. 1753 D, GROUP LAYOUT, ANNAPURNESWARI NAGARA, BANGALORE-560 091. 3. NARASIMHA MURTHY.H.N., S/O NARASIMHAIAH, AGED 52 YEARS, HARADAGERE (V) AT POST, NITTUR (H), GUBBI (T), TUMAKURU (D), PIN-572 222. 4. MANJUNATHA.T.B., S/O G.B.BASAVARAJ, AGED 55 YEARS, SIDDALINGESWARA PRINTERS, OPPOSITE B.G.PALYA CIRCLE, TUMKUR-572 101. 5. K.H.JAGADISH, S/O HUCHAGANGAIAH, AGED 42 YEARS, KODIGEHALLI, BYATHA(P), URDIGERE (H), TUMKURU TALUK AND DISTRICT - 572 140. 6. MAHESH S/O GANGARAJAPPA, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/AT VENKATESHPURA, SIRA GATE, TUMKUR DISTRICT - 572 106. 7. S.C.JAYARAMA, S/O CHALUVEGOWDA, AGED 50 YEARS, M.SHIVARA (V), AT POST, BAGURU (H), CHANNARAYAPATTANA, HASSAN (D)-573 111. 8. KUSHA.D.A S/O LATE AMASEGOWDA, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46065-DB WA No. 1480 of 2024 AGED 50 YEARS, DARASIHALLI (V), M.SHIVARA POST, BAGURU(H), CHANNARAYAPATTANA (T), HASSAN (D)-573 111. 9. SRINIVAS.G, S/O GIRIYAPPA, AGED 48 YEARS, NO.5, 7TH B MAIN, MADDURAMMA LAYOUT, SUNKADAKATTE, BANGALORE NORTH - 560 091. 10. ARUNAKUMAR.N, S/O NILAKANTAPPA, AGED 42 YEARS, NO. 116, 2ND MAIN ROAD, 3RD CROSS, HOISALANAGARA, SUNKADAKATTE, BANGALORE-560 091. 11. VENUGOPALA.B.S., S/O SIDDAGANGAIAH, AGED 42 YEARS, BETTANAGERE (V), HUSKUR (P), DASANAPURA (H), BENGALURU-562 162. 12. DODDAIAH.G.T, S/O THIMMAIAH, AGED 49 YEARS, KENGAL GOLLARAHATTI, BARAGENAHALLI (P), SOMAPURA (H), NELAMANGALA (T), BANGALORE RURAL (D) - 572 111. 13. SRINIVAS.C.K S/O KARTIMMAIAH, AGED 44 YEARS, - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46065-DB WA No. 1480 of 2024 NO.27/1, 3RD MAIN, 2ND STAGE, BAPUJINAGAR, BANGALORE SOUTH-560 026. 14. RAVIKUMAR.T.N., S/O NARAYAN MURTHY, AGED 44 YEARS, NO.2, MALLIGE ROAD, 1ST CROSS, GOKUL BADAVANE, TUMKUR - 572 227. 15. NARAYANA SWAMY.C., S/O CHIKKABERANNA, AGED 49 YEARS, SETTARAHALLI, VISHWANATHAPURA (P), KASABA (H), DEVANAHALLI (T), BANGALORE RURAL (D)-562 110. 16. CHIKKANNA.K.C., S/O CHIKKAHANUMAIAH, AGED 47 YEARS, KAMALAPURA, DEVARAHOSAHALLI (P), SOMAPURA (H), NELAMANGALA (T), BANGALORE RURAL (D)-562 111. 17. SIDDARAJU, S/O JAGGAIAH, AGED 55 YEARS, BETTANAGERE (V), HUSKUR (P), DASANAPURA (H), BANGALORE - 562 162. 18. KUMARASWAMY.H.S., S/O SANNARANGAIAH, AGED 52 YEARS, KUSHALAPURA, BARAKANAHALU (P), C.N.HALLI (T), TUMKUR (D)-571 604. 19. MANJUNATHA.C S/O C.CHOWDAPPA, AGED 42 YEARS, GORURU (V), - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46065-DB WA No. 1480 of 2024 SOLURU (H), MAGADI (T), RAMANAGARA (D)-562 127. 20. GANGADARAPPA.S.R, S/O RAMALINGANAYAKA, AGED 47 YEARS, SASALU (V) AND (P), CHIKKANAYAKANAHALLI (T), TUMAKURU (D) - 572 226. 21. KRISHNAPPA.P.C, S/O CHIKKARANGAPPA, AGED 52 YEARS, PINNENAHALLI, HOSAKERE (P), GUBBI (T), TUMAKURU (D) - 572 222. 22. RANGANARASIMAIAH, S/O RANGAIAH, AGED 53 YEARS, SIDUGANAHALLI, HARTHI (P), MAGADI (T), RAMANAGARA (D)-562 127. 23. SRINIVASA.B.N, S/O NARASIMAIAH, AGED 47 YEARS, RAYAN NAGARA, NELAMANGALA, BANGALORE RURAL - 562 123. 24. BUGUDEGAWDA.M.R S/O LATE RANGEGOWDA, AGED 44 YEARS, B.MUDUGERE, KENCHANAHALLI (P), BELLURU (H), NAGAMANGALA (T), MANDYA (D)-562 123. 25. SIDDARAJU.H S/O HANUMANTHAIAH, CHIKKAGUNDAGALLU, AGED 50 YEARS, - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46065-DB WA No. 1480 of 2024 HOBALAPURA (P), KORA (H), TUMAKURU (T) AND (D) - 560 095. 26. C.L.MANJUNATH, S/O LATE LAKSHMANAIAH, AGED 54 YEARS, OLD POST OFFICE ROAD, VENKATESHPURA, SIRA GATE, TUMAKURU-572 106. 27. HANUMANAYAK S/O CHINNANAYAK, AGED 44 YEARS, GOLLAHALLI TANDYA, AANTARAHALLI (P), DODDABALLAPURA (T), BENGALURU RURAL - 561 203. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. NARAYANA SWAMY.K.., ADVOCATE FOR R1, R2, R4 TO R27; SRI. THAMMAIAH.H.N., ADVOCATE FOR R3) THIS WRIT APPEAL FILED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT, 1961, PRAYING TO CALL FOR RECORDS IN WP NO.19588/2023 (S-RES), TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 09.05.2024 PASSED BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE IN WP.NO.19588/2023(S-RES) AND ETC. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH & HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE TARA VITASTA GANJU - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46065-DB WA No. 1480 of 2024 ORAL JUDGMENT (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH) The present writ appeal has been filed by the State impugning the judgment and order dated 09.05.2024 passed by the learned Single Judge in W.P.No.19588/2023. 2. The parties are referred to as per their ranking in the writ petition. 3. Twenty seven petitioners who were employed by the respondent-Government Security Press in Tumkur on daily wage basis from 2001 to 2010 and thereafter from 2016 to 11.08.2023 at Peenya, Bangalore, have filed the writ petition questioning the closing of the Peenya Printing Press, Bangalore. They have also sought for regularization of their service. 4. The petitioners were appointed through the outsourcing agencies. However, on account of closure of Tumkur Printing Press, they were out of employment from 2005 to 2010. Then again, their services were taken that too through outsourcing manpower agency at Peenya - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46065-DB WA No. 1480 of 2024 Government Security Printing Press till that Printing Press was closed down. Considering the aforesaid facts and the judgment in the case of State of Karnataka Vs. Umadevi1, learned Single Judge was of the view that petitioners are not entitled for the relief of regularaisation. But considering the judgment in the case of Ranbir Singh Vs. S.K.Roy2, where the Supreme Court in the place of relief for regularisation of the persons who had worked for long duration granted monetary compensation, the Learned Single Judge has granted compensation at the rate of Rs.50,000/- for each completed year in the employment to each of the petitioners. 5. We must say that the said judgments and the relief granted by the Supreme Court was under Article 142 of the Constitution of India. We do not exercise any such jurisdiction inasmuch as the motto of the High Court is “Satyameva Jayate” and of the Supreme Court is “Yato Dharmastato Jayah” and therefore, the Supreme 1 2006(4) SCC 1 2 2022 SCC OnLine SC 521 - 9 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46065-DB WA No. 1480 of 2024 Court exercises its power under Article 142 of the Constitution of India to do complete justice between the parties and may pass any order or direction in this behalf. The High Court has to decide the cases on the basis of the facts and evidence of the parties but the High Court also exercises equity jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India and may mould the relief in exercise of preliminary jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. 6. It is not in dispute that the petitioners/workmen were not in employment from 2005 to 2010. It is however for the said period also, the learned Single Judge has granted compensation at the rate of Rs.25,000/- for each completed year. We are of the considered view that no such compensation should have been awarded for the said period. For the period from 2016 to 2023, the learned Single Judge has awarded Rs.50,000/- for each completed year and therefore, each of the 27 petitioners have been granted Rs.3,50,000/- compensation for the said period from 2016 to 2023. As we are deleting the compensation - 10 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46065-DB WA No. 1480 of 2024 except for the period from 2016 to 2023 at the rate of Rs.50,000/- per year, we deem it appropriate to add Rs.50,000/- with Rs.3,50,000/-. Except for the petitioners at Sl.Nos.11, 20 and 21, each of the petitioners would be entitled for Rs.4,00,000/- and the persons mentioned at Sl.Nos.11, 20 and 21 shall be entitled for Rs.3,50,000/- each. The said amount of compensation shall be paid by the State Government within a period of eight weeks from today. 7. We make it clear that this judgment has been passed in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and shall not be treated as precedent. 8. The writ appeal is disposed of by modifying the impugned order passed by the Learned Single Judge to the extent mentioned above. (D K SINGH) JUDGE (TARA VITASTA GANJU) JUDGE YN List No.: 1 Sl No.: 11 Digitally signed by TARA VITASTA GANJU Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNTAKA Digitally signed by DINESH KUMAR SINGH Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA