- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 8TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA WRIT PETITION NO.102652 OF 2024 (S-REG) BETWEEN: 1. SRI. CHENNAPPA BASAPPA SOGALAD S/O. BASAPPA SOGALAD AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 2. SMT. MANJULA SRIPADAPPA DASAR W/O. SRIPADAPPA DASAR, AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 3. SRI. ISMAIL GORESAB BAVAKKANAVAR S/O. GORESAB BAVAKKANAVAR AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 4. SRI. MEHABOOBASOOBANI NAJIRAHAMMAD GOVANAKOPPA S/O. NAJIRAHAMMAD GOVANAKOPPA AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 VISHAL NINGAPPA PATTIHAL Digitally signed by VISHAL NINGAPPA PATTIHAL Location: High Court of Karnataka Dharwad Bench Date: 2025.01.21 12:19:11 +0530 - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 5. SRI. PAKRUDDIN MAKTUMASAB BALEKUNDRI S/O. MAKTUMASAB BALEKUNDRI AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 6. SRI. MAHADEVAPPA SATYAPPA MECHHINAVAR S/O. SATYAPPA MECHHINAVAR AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 7. SMT. EMEETHI DHARMIK MOHITE W/O. DHARMIK MOHITE AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 8. SMT. SATYAVVA TUKARAM NIRWANI W/O. TUKARAM NIRWANI AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 9. SRI. NINGAPPA B HANABAR S/O. B HANABAR AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 10. SMT. MANASI SANDEEP ANGOLKAR W/O. SANDEEP ANGOLKAR AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 11. SRI. ANURADHA VINAYAK SULAGEKAR S/O. VINAYAK SULAGEKAR AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 12. SMT. SHAKUNTALA JINNAPPA GANAGER W/O. JINNAPPA GANAGER AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 13. SRI. SURESH SHIVAPPA TULASIGERI S/O. SHIVAPPA TULASIGERI AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 14. SMT. SAVITA SHRIPADAPPA GANAGER W/O. SHRIPADAPPA GANAGER AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 15. KUMARI. PREMA HANUMANTARAYAPPA.D.H - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 D/O. HANUMANTARAYAPPA AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 16. SRI. YALLALING PARASHAPPA UDAGATTI S/O. PARASHAPPA UDAGATTI AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: NESARGI-591106 BAILAHONGALA TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. RANGE: GUJJANAL 17. SRI. YALLAPPA BASAPPA HUGAR S/O. BASAPPA HUGAR AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 18. SRI. FAYAZ AKBARBADSHA TAMBOLI S/O. AKBARBADSHA TAMBOLI AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 19. SRI. NAGARAJ SHEKHAR MARAKUMBI S/O. SHEKHAR MARAKUMBI AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 20. SMT. ROOPA SHEKHAR MARAKUMBI - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 W/O. SHEKHAR MARAKUMBI AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 21. SRI. NAJEER HUSENSAB TAMBOLI S/O. HUSENSAB TAMBOLI AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 22. SRI. MAHABOOBSAB RAYESAB GUDADUR S/O. RAYESAB GUDADUR AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 23. SRI. TAHIRSHA IMAMSHA PEERZADE S/O. IMAMSHA PEERZADE AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 24. SRI. MASTAN MAKTUMSAB RASULNAVAR S/O. MAKTUMSAB RASULNAVAR AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 25. SRI. SHIVANAND BASANGOUDA CHIKKANGOUDA S/O. BASANGOUDA CHIKKANGOUDA AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 26. SMT. SULBHA VASANT MADAR W/O. VASANT MADAR AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 27. SMT. KHASIBAI SHANKAR VITEKAR W/O. SHANKAR VITEKAR AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 28. SRI. ASHOK KALLAPPA KARKAD S/O. KALLAPPA KARKAD AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 29. SRI. BALAPPA NAGAPPA GUDENNAVAR S/O. NAGAPPA GUDENNAVAR AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 30. SRI. TUKARAM HANUMANTH THIPPANNAVAR S/O. HANUMANTH THIPPANNAVAR AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 - 7 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 31. SRI. MANJUNATH BISTAPPA TULAGI S/O. BISTAPPA TULAGI AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 32. SRI. APPANNA NILAKANT CHAUVANNAVAR S/O. NILAKANT CHAUVANNAVAR AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 33. SMT. LAKSHMI MOHAN METHRI W/O. MOHAN METHRI AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 34. SRI. JYOTHIS NAGAPPA HUCHANNAVAR S/O. MOHAN METHRI AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 35. SRI. BALAPPA LUJER GOUDAR S/O. LUJER GOUDAR AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. - 8 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 36. SRI. HANUMANT RAJU TULASIGERI S/O. RAJU TULASIGERI AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 37. SRI. MALLIKARJUN BASAPPA SOGALAD S/O. BASAPPA SOGALAD AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 38. SRI. MOHAMMEDBEG JALALABEG MULLA S/O. JALALABEG MULLA AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 39. SRI. ABHILASHA RAJUGOWDA PATILA S/O. RAJUGOWDA PATILA AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 40. SMT. POOJA BHAGAVANTHA THULASIGERI W/O. BHAGAVANTHA THULASIGERI AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 41. SRI. RAJU BHAGAVANTHA THULASIGERI S/O. BHAGAVANTHA THULASIGERI AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, - 9 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 42. SRI. RAJU SHEKHARA KAMASHETTY S/O. SHEKHARA KAMASHETTY AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 43. SMT. SHOBHA HALAPPA BABALESHWARA W/O. HALAPPA BABALESHWARA AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 44. SRI. MUTHAPPA GANAPATHI MECHINNAVAR S/O. GANAPATHI MECHINNAVAR AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 45. SRI. VINAYAKA SURYAPRAKASH BOLECHIN S/O. SURYAPRAKASH BOLECHIN AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. 46. SRI. MALLIKARJUNA SHIDDAPPA MASGONDA S/O. SHIDDAPPA MASGONDA AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, OCCUPATION : FOREST WATCHER, RANGE: GUJJANAL-591101 GOKAK TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI YALAGI KAVYA SHIVAPPA ADVOCATE FOR N. R. NAIK AND ASSOCIATES, ADVOCATE) AND: - 10 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY ITS SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, DEPARTMENT OF FOREST, ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT, M.S BUILDING, DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560 001. 2. THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF FOREST, ARANYA BHAWAN, 4TH FLOOR, 18TH CROSS, MALLESHWARAM, BENGALURU-560003. 3. THE CHIEF CONSERVATOR, FOREST DEPARTMENT, BELAGAVI CIRCLE, BELAGAVI-590001. 4. THE DEPUTY CONSERVATOR, FOREST DEPARTMENT, BELAGAVI DIVISION, CLUB ROAD, BELAGAVI-590001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. KIRTILATA R. PATIL, HCGP FOR R1 TO R4) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO, ISSUE WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT AUTHORITIES TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION FOR HAVING SUBMITTED THEIR REPRESENTATION DATED 19.04.2023 THROUGH ASSOCIATION FOR REGULARIZATION OF THEIR SERVICES RENDERED BY THEM AS PER ANNEXURE- AND ETC., THIS WRIT PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 11 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA) 1. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA) 1. The petitioners are before this Court seeking a direction by issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to consider the representation submitted by the petitioners on 19.04.2023 for regularisation of services of its members. 2. Heard the learned counsel Shri Yalagi Kavya Shivappa for Shri N.R. Naik appearing for the petitioners and the learned counsel Smt. Kirtilata R.Patil, learned HCGP for respondent Nos.1 to 4. 3. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submits that, identically placed employees had approached this Court in Writ Petition No.10075/2024 and this Court had directed consideration of the cases of those petitioners for regularization in terms of law. The order of the Co-ordinate Bench reads as follows: “1. The prayer in this petition is for a direction to the respondents to consider the representation dated 19.04.2023 by which the - 12 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 petitioners are seeking for regularization of their services. 2. Since the petitioners are seeking for regularization of their services, it would be appropriate to direct the second respondent to consider the said representations and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law within a period of two months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submits that these petitioners are similarly placed and therefore the association has submitted a representation to the State to consider their cases in the light of the earlier order passed by the Court. 5. Learned HCGP would submit that the association has submitted a representation and if the petitioners are wanting regularization of their services, individual representations ought to have been submitted. 6. The submissions of the learned HCGP merits acceptance. The petitioners are thus reserved liberty to submit individual representations claiming regularization of - 13 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:230 WP No. 102652 of 2024 their services as is claimed by the association of which the petitioners are all members. In the event the petitioners whould submit representation individually claiming regularization of their services as is projected in the petition, the State shall consider the same and pass necessary orders in accordance with law within three months after submission of the representation, if any. 7. It is made clear that this Court has not assessed the merit of the claim of the petitioners. Ordered accordingly. Sd/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE VNP/CT-ASC List No.: 1 Sl No.: 6