- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:7107 WP No. 100345 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 29TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM WRIT PETITION NO. 100345 OF 2023 (GM-KEB) BETWEEN: 1. SHRI. DOODHAGANGA KRISHNA YETA (HANI) NEERAVARI SANGH A/P. ARBYANAWADI (KERURWADI) TALUKA: CHIKKODI, DIST: BELAGAVI-591213 A SOCIETY REGISTERED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF KARNATAKA SOCIETIES ACT, 1960, REPRESENTED BY ITS CHAIRMAN SHRI. SURESH BHIMA HINGALJE AGE: 51 YEARS OCC: CHAIRMAN AND AGRICULTURIST. 2. SHRI. DOODHAGANGA KRISHNA YETA (HANI) NEERAVARI SANGH A/P ARBYANAWADI (KERURWADI) BY ITS SECRETARY SHRI. SANJU MARUTI KHOT AGED 30 YEARS OCC: SECRETARY AND AGRICULTURIST R/O ARBYANAWADI (KERURWADI) TALUK CHIKKODI, DISTRICT BELAGAVI-591213. ...PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SANJAY S.KATAGERI, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY VIKAS SOUDHA, DR. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU – 560001, REPRESENTED BY ITS ADDITIONAL CHIEF SECRETARY. Digitally signed by CHAITHRA A Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:7107 WP No. 100345 of 2023 2. KARNATAKA ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION, HAVING ITS OFFICE AT NO.16C-1, MILLER'S TANK BUND ROAD, VASANTH NAGAR BENGALURU-560052, REPRESENTED BY ITS MEMBER SECRETARY. 3. HUBLI ELECTRICITY SUPPLY COMPANY LIMITED (HESCOM), P. B. ROAD, NAVANAGAR, HUBBALLI – 580025. REPRESENTED BY THE MANAGING DIRECTOR. 4. THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER (ELE) O AND M SUB-DIVISION, HESCOM, CHIKKODI TALUKA: CHIKKODI, DIST: BELAGAVI- 591201. 5. THE ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE ENGINEER (ELE) O AND M SUB-DIVISION, HESCOM SADALAGA, TALUKA CHIKKODI DIST. BELAGAVI – 591239. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. ASHOK T. KATTIMANI, AGA FOR R1; SRI. B.S. KAMATE, ADVOCATE FOR R2; SRI. SHIVARAJ P. MUDHOL, ADVOCATE FOR R3 TO R5) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION, BY DECLARING THAT EXCLUSION OF THE PETITIONERS SOCIETY FROM THE ELIGIBILITY OF RECEIPT OF SUBSIDY AS PER GOVERNMENT ORDER BEARING NO.EN 55 PSR 2008 DATED 4TH SEPTEMBER, 2008 PRODUCED HEREIN AS ANNEXURE-A AS ISSUED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.1 HEREIN, WHICH RESULTS IN HOSTITLE DISCRIMINATION TO THE PETITIONERS HEREIN AND ETC. - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:7107 WP No. 100345 of 2023 THIS WRIT PETITION COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING 'B' GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM ORAL ORDER In the captioned petition, registered societies are aggrieved by the denial of power subsidy. Therefore, the societies are before this Court alleging that this discrimination between the individual farmers and the societies based on purely collective consumption violates the guarantee equality provided under Article 14 of the Constitution of India. 2. This Court in the lead petition bearing W.P.No.103671/2021 has dealt with this issue substantially and has issued certain directives. Since identical issues are involved and similar reliefs are sought in the captioned petition, the writ petition is disposed of in terms of the directives issued in W.P.No.103671/2021. - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:7107 WP No. 100345 of 2023 3. Accordingly, this Court proceeds to pass the following: ORDER i) Writ petition is allowed in part. ii) Petitioners are hereby directed to pay the pending arrears to respondent No.3. iii) Consequently, it is declared that the impugned Government Order No. EN 55 PSR 2008 dated 4th September 2008 is unconstitutional, in so far as it denies the benefit of power tariff subsidy to farmer societies purely on the ground of collective consumption exceeding the specified horsepower limit. iv) Consequently, the State Government and the concerned distribution companies (including HESCOM) are directed to review, reconsider, and amend the existing policy framework governing agricultural power - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:7107 WP No. 100345 of 2023 subsidies, ensuring that farmer societies are treated at par with individual farmers. v) It is further directed that the authorities must frame and notify appropriate guidelines within a reasonable period (preferably within six months) to extend power tariff subsidies to registered farmer societies, in a manner that aligns with the principles of equality, promotes cooperative farming, and advances the broader goals of sustainable agricultural development. vi) Respondent No.3 is hereby directed to consider the petitioners’ application seeking subsidy benefits in accordance with law once the arrears are paid. vii) The petitioners are reserved with liberty to submit detailed representations seeking the benefit of power tariff subsidy under the revised framework. - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:7107 WP No. 100345 of 2023 viii) Prayers in regard to setting aside the demand notice and declaration of the specified period as Force Majeure are hereby rejected. SD/- (SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM) JUDGE MBS List No.: 1