- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14556-DB WP No. 101179 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA,AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 29TH 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. 101179 OF 2025 (S-KAT) BETWEEN: SRI. GAJANAN TUKARAM REVANKAR S/O. TUKARAM REVANKAR AGE. 51 YEARS, SERVING RANGE FOREST OFFICER, FOREST MOBILE SQUAD, NEAR YELLAPUR NAKA, COLLEGE ROAD, SIRSI 581402, DIST. UTTARA KANNADA, R/O. NEHRU NAGAR, HANUMAGIRI, SIRSI 581402, UTTARA KANNADA, DY RFO SENIORITY NO. 347, BLOCK WISE SL.NO. 80, …PETITIONER (BY SRI. ANAND L. SANDRIMANI, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY PRINCIPAL SECRETARY (FOREST) FOREST, ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY DEPARTMENT, KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, ROOM NO. 442, GATE NO.2, Digitally signed by BHARATHI H M Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DHARWAD BENCH Date: 2025.11.03 10:41:55 +0530 - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14556-DB WP No. 101179 of 2025 M.S. BUILDING, BENGALURU 560001. 2. PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS (HOFF) FOREST, ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY DEPARTMENT, 4TH FLOOR, ARANYA BHAVAN, 18TH CROSS, MALLESHWARAM, BENGALURU 560003. 3. CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST CANARA CIRCLE, OFFICE OF CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST, SIRSI, UTTARA KANNADA 577101. 4. SRI. PRASAD T. PEDNEKAR AGE. 48 YEARS, OCC. SERVING AS RANGE FOREST OFFICER, IDAGUNJI CIRCLE, TQ. YELLAPUR, DIST. UTTARA KANNADA, 5. SRI. VINAYAK P. NAIK AGE. 44 YEARS, OCC. SERVING AS RANGE FOREST OFFICER, MASTIKATTA CIRCLE, TQ. ANKOLA, DIST. UTTARA KANNADA, 6. SRI. DEEPAK A. NAIK AGE. 50 YEARS, OCC. SERVING AS RANGE FOREST OFFICER, TALAKAL CIRCLE, TQ. KUMTA, DIST. UTTARA KANNADA. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14556-DB WP No. 101179 of 2025 7. SRI. VAGESH B.J. AGE. 48 YEARS, OCC. SERVING AS RANGE FOREST OFFICER, LAKKAVALLI CIRCLE, BHADRAVATI DIVISION, TQ. BHADRAVATI, DIST. SHIVAMOGGA, …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. G.K. HIREGOUDAR, PRL. GOVERNMENT ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO, CALL FOR THE RECORDS AND SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED. 02/02/2024 PASSED BY THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL, AT BELAGAVI IN APPLICATION NO. 10694/2022 VIDE ANNEXURE-A AND RESPONDENT NO.2 MAY KINDLY BE DIRECTED TO ISSUE RETROSPECTIVE PROMOTION W.E.F. FROM 27.07.2002, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S G PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE MRS JUSTICE GEETHA K.B. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14556-DB WP No. 101179 of 2025 ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S G PANDIT) This writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is directed against the order dated 02.02.2024 in Application No.10694/2022 passed by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal at Belagavi (for short, ‘Tribunal’), whereunder the Tribunal has passed the following order: “8. Accordingly, the application is disposed of with the direction to the Respondent No.3 chief Conservator of Forest, Canara Circle, Sirsi, to consider the Representation dated 06.12.2021 produced at Annexure-A6 before finalizing the fresh seniority list for Deputy Range Forest Officers (Dy.RFO)” 2. Heard learned counsel Sri.Anand L Sandrimani for petitioner and Sri.G.K.Hiregoudar, learned Principal Government Advocate for respondents. Perused the entire writ petition papers. 3. The petitioner had sought a retrospective promotion with effect from 27.07.2002 to the cadre of Deputy Range Forest Officer/Range Forest Officer. The - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14556-DB WP No. 101179 of 2025 Tribunal noting that the seniority list of the Canara Circle is not yet resolved or not finalized, directed consideration of petitioner’s representation before finalizing the first seniority list of Deputy Range Forest Officers. We do not find any error in the said order. The petitioner would be entitled for promotion depending on the ranking assigned to him in the fresh seniority list of Deputy Range Forest Officers. 4. With the above observation, the writ petition stands disposed of. Sd/- (S G PANDIT) JUDGE Sd/- (GEETHA K.B.) JUDGE SH CT-CMU LIST NO.: 1 SL NO.: 21