- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:13776-DB WP No. 105246 of 2022 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 13TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S G PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE MRS JUSTICE GEETHA K.B. WRIT PETITION NO. 105246 OF 2022 (S-KAT) BETWEEN: 1. MR. HITENDRA B GOUDAPPANAVAR S/O BASAVANEPPA AGED 46 YEARS, WORKING AS R-32 ASST DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, HIREKERUR TALUK, HAVERI DIST. RESIDING AT: MEDUR AT POST, HIREKERUR TALUK, HAVERI DIST-581111. 2. MR. SHIVANANDA S. NARAJJI S/O SHIVAPPA NARAJJI AGED 50 YEARS, WORKING AS R-32 ASST DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, O/O JOINT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, HAVERI DIST. HAVERI. RESIDING AT: C/O B.S. KOPPAD, REVENUE QUARTERS, NEAR KLE SCHOOL, HAVERI-581110. 3. MR. ASHOK V THIRKANNAVAR S/O C.G. GUDDADAPPANAVAR, AGED 45 YEARS, WORKING AS R-32 ASST DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, SMS, O/O JOINT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, BAGALKOT DIST . RESIDING AT: LAXMI NILAYA, PLOT NO.M-42, Digitally signed by BHARATHI H M Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DHARWAD BENCH Date: 2025.10.28 11:28:37 +0530 - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:13776-DB WP No. 105246 of 2022 SECTOR NO. 57, NAVANAGARA, BAGALKOT DIST-587102. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. NITHIN RAMESH AND SRI. LINGESH V. KATTEMANE, ADVOCATES) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA, R/BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, M.S. BUILDING, BANGALORE-56001. 2. THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, SHESHADRI ROAD, BANGALORE-560001. 3. MR. PANDU ESHWARA MANE, AGED 50 YEARS, WORKING AS R-32 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, HALIYAL TALUK, UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT-581329. 4. MR. NASEER AHMAD N., AGED 55 YEARS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, SIRAGUPPA TALUK, BELLARY DISTRICT-583121. 5. MR. RAJESH GURUPADAPPA METI AGED 50 YEARS, WORKING AS R-32 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, SEED TESTING LABORATORY, DATC CAMPUS, P.B. ROAD, DHARWAD-580001. 6. MR. NAGARAJ K., AGED 50 YEARS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE (VIGILANCE), O/O JOINT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:13776-DB WP No. 105246 of 2022 OPPOSITE DC OFFICE, BELLARY-583101. 7. MR. MUKTUM SAB NADAF, AGED 48 YEARS, WORKING AS R-32 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, CHIKKODI, TQ. BELAGAVI DISTRICT-591201. 8. MR. RAJASHEKHAR A. GOUDAR AGED 50 YEARS, WORKING AS R-32 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, NAVANAGAR, HUBLI, DHARWAD DISTRICT-580025. 9. SMT. SHYLA K. PATIL AGED 49 YEARS, WORKING AS R-32 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, DIST AGRICULTURE TRAINING CENTRE (DATC), P.B ROAD, DHARWAD DISTRICT-580001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. KESHAV REDDY, AAG FOR SMT. GIRIJA S. HIREMATH, HCGP FOR R1-R2; SRI. MAHANTESH G., ADVOCATE FOR R8-R9; NOTICE TO R3 TO R7-SERVED;) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF CERTIORARI TO QUASH THE ORDER PASSED BY THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL AT BENGALURU IN APPLICATION NUMBERS 4192 TO 4208 OF 2016 DATED 27/01/2021 AS PER ANNEXURE-B & ETC. THIS WRIT PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:13776-DB WP No. 105246 of 2022 CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S G PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE MRS JUSTICE GEETHA K.B. ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S G PANDIT) This writ petition is directed against the order dated 27.01.2021 in Application No.4192/2016 passed by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (hereinafter for short ’KAT’). At the first instance, this writ petition was disposed of by order dated 05.12.2022 with liberty to revive, if adverse order is passed against the petitioners. Thereafter, IA No.2/2023 is filed seeking revival of the writ petition on the ground that in pursuance to the order of this Court, order adverse to the interest of the petitioners is passed. This Court by order dated 15.04.2025, revived the petition and restored to its original file. Subsequently, this Court by order dated 18.08.2025 directed the respondents as follows: “9. Under these circumstances, though several contentions have been urged by both sides in support - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:13776-DB WP No. 105246 of 2022 of their respective claims, without expressing any opinion on the merits/demerits of these rival contentions, we deem it just and appropriate to dispose of I.A.No.1/2023 by directing the respondent No.2 to consider the representations dated 03.11.2022, 27.06.2023 and all other representations, if any, submitted by the petitioners, in accordance with law bearing in mind the communications dated 29.04.2022 (document No.2) and 02.05.2023 (document No.1) issued by the respondent No.1 to the respondent No.2 and within a period of four (4) weeks from today.” 2. Pursuant to the above cited order, learned AAG Sri.Keshava Reddy appearing for State submits that compliance affidavit dated 19.09.2025 is filed enclosing endorsement dated 17.09.2025 (Annexure-R4 and endorsement dated 17.09.2025 Annexure-R5) which discloses publication of final seniority list dated 13.09.2023 as on 01.01.2023 of the cadre of the Agriculture Officers. 3. In view of the same, it is for the applicants/ petitioners to approach the Court of first instance i.e. Tribunal. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:13776-DB WP No. 105246 of 2022 4. With liberty to the petitioners to approach the competent Court challenging the endorsement as well the seniority list, the present writ petition stands disposed of. Sd/- (S G PANDIT) JUDGE Sd/- (GEETHA K.B.) JUDGE HMB, CT:VP LIST NO.: 1 SL NO.: 42