- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:15073-DB WP No. 102822 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 5TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S G PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE MRS JUSTICE GEETHA K.B. WRIT PETITION NO.102822 OF 2023 (S-KAT) BETWEEN: 1. THE REGISTRAR KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA M.S. BUILDING BENGALURU-560001. 2. THE ADDITIONAL REGISTRAR OF ENQUIRIES-11 KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA, M.S. BUILDING, BENGALURU-560001. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. G.I. GACHCHINAMATH, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. SRI S.G. HEGADE S/O. LATE GANAPATHI HEGADE, AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS, WORKING AS DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FOREST AND REGIONAL MANAGER, Digitally signed by BHARATHI H M Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DHARWAD BENCH Date: 2025.11.15 10:45:32 +0530 - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:15073-DB WP No. 102822 of 2023 KARNATAKA STATE FOREST INDUSTRIES, CORPORATION, SIRSI, UTTAR KANNADA DISTRICT-581401. 2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF FOREST ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY, M.S. BUILDING, BENGALURU-560001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. SATISH K. AND SRI. SURESH BHAT, ADVOCATES FOR C/R1) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO CALL FOR RECORDS IN RESPECT OF THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 08-07-2020 MADE IN APPLICATION NO.5129/2018 ON THE FILE OF THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL AND QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 08-07-2020 MADE IN APPLICATION NO.5129/2018 PASSED BY THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL PRODUCED AS ANNEXURE-B BY ISSUE OF WRIT OF CERTIORARI OR ANY OTHER SUITABLE WRIT OR ORDER OR DIRECTIONS AND ETC.,. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, 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. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:15073-DB WP No. 102822 of 2023 ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S G PANDIT) The above writ petition is filed by the petitioners- Karnataka Lokayukta questioning the Order dated 08.07.2020 made in Application No.5129/2018 passed by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal, Bengaluru (for short ‘Tribunal) whereunder the respondent’s challenge to order of entrustment of enquiry to the petitioners dated 18.01.2018(Annexure-A8) and consequential articles of charge dated 09.03.2018(Annexure-A9) are allowed and quashed. Questioning the said order of the Tribunal, the Lokayukta Authorities are before this Court. 2. However, the State Government has not challenged the impugned order of the Tribunal and on the other hand, the State has accepted the Order of the Tribunal. The State passed Government Order bearing No.APG 109 AEV 2018 dated 16.01.2021 withdrawing the order of entrustment of enquiry dated 18.01.2018 - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:15073-DB WP No. 102822 of 2023 entrusting the enquiry to petitioners-Lokayuktha. Hence, the present writ petition would not be maintainable by the petitioners-Lokyukta. 3. If at all the petitioners are aggrieved by the Government Order withdrawing the entrustment of enquiry, it is open for the petitioners to challenge the same. 4. For the above said reason, the writ petition is dismissed as not maintainable. Sd/- (S G PANDIT) JUDGE Sd/- (GEETHA K.B.) JUDGE HMB CT-CMU LIST NO.: 1 SL NO.: 3