- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:16421-DB WP No. 107178 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 26TH 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.107178 OF 2023 (S-KAT) BETWEEN: 1. THE KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA, M.S. BUILDING, DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU-01.R/BY ITS REGISTRAR LOKAYUKTA. 2. THE ADDITIONAL REGISTRAR, ENQUIRIES-7, KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA, M.S. BUILDING, DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU-01. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SRINIVAS B. NAIK, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. SRI. GAJANANA B. MANNIKERI AGE. 52 YEARS, OCC. DEPUTY DIRECTOR (ADMIN), DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTIONS, TALUKA CHIKKODI, DIST. BELAGAVI. 2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, R/BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, EDUCATION DEPARTMENT (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION), GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, M.S. BUILDING, DR. B.R. AMBEDAKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. G.K. HIREGOUDAR, PRL. GOVT. ADVOCATE FOR R2; NOTICE TO R1 IS SERVED) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO, ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI AND QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 30/06/2020 PASSED BY THE HON’BLE KARNATAKA STATE MALLIKARJUN RUDRAYYA KALMATH Digitally signed by MALLIKARJUN RUDRAYYA KALMATH Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DHARWAD BENCH - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:16421-DB WP No. 107178 of 2023 ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL BELAGAVI IN APPLICATION NO.10401/2020 (PRODUCED AS ANNEXURE-A) AND CONSEQUENTLY RESTORE THE ORDER PASSED BY RESPONDENT NO.2 IMPOSING PENALTY AGAINST RESPONDENT NO.1 IN THE ENDS OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY & ETC. THIS WRIT 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. ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S G PANDIT) Heard the learned counsel Sri. Srinivas B Naik for the petitioners/Lokayukta and learned Prl. Government Advocate Sri. G.K.Hiregoudar for respondent No.2/State. Perused the entire writ petition papers. 2. The petitioners/Lokayukta Authorities are before this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, questioning the order dated 30.06.2020 in Application No.10401/2020 by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal, Belagavi1, whereunder, 1st respondent’s application questioning the order of penalty dated 18.3.2020, imposing withholding of one increment with cumulative effect was quashed. 1 For short ‘Tribunal’ - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:16421-DB WP No. 107178 of 2023 3. Learned Prl. Government Advocate Sri. G.K. Hiregoudar brings to the notice of this Court that the State had approached this Court in WP No.102130/2022 questioning the same order of Tribunal dated 30.06.2020 in Application No.10401/2020 and submits that the said writ petition came to be dismissed by order dated 23.11.2022 on merits, wherein the petitioners were also parties to the said writ petition. 4. In view of dismissal of writ petition filed by the State challenging the very same order dated 30.6.2020 in Application No.10401/2020, the present writ petition filed by the Lokayukta requires to be dismissed following the decision in WP No.102130/2022, dated 23.11.2022. Accordingly, the writ petition stands rejected. Pending applications, if any, are disposed as not surviving for consideration. Sd/- (S G PANDIT) JUDGE Sd/- (GEETHA K.B.) JUDGE JTR, CT:VP LIST NO.: 1 SL NO.: 25