- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34619 WP No. 12548 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 3RD DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS WRIT PETITION NO. 12548 OF 2025 (KLR-LG) BETWEEN: 1. SHRI. CHANDREGOWDA S/O GAVEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, R/O SIDDAPUR VILLAGE, GANJIGERE POST, ALURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 2. SHRI. MANJUNATH S/O RAJEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, R/O ULIVAL VILLAGE, KASABA HOBLI, ARAKALAGUDU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 3. SMT. SHIVAMMA W/O PUTTEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, R/O BOLAKYATANAHALLI VILLAGE, ARAKALAGUDU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 4. SHRI. KANTARAJU S/O LATE NINGEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 61 YEARS, R/O MANIGANAHALLI VILLAGE, ALURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 5. SHRI. SURESH S/O NINGEGOWDA Digitally signed by JUANITA THEJESWINI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34619 WP No. 12548 of 2025 AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS, R/O HOSAHALLI VILLAGE, KASABA HOBLI, ARAKALAGUDU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 6. SHRI. NAGESH S/O LATE MALLESHAGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, R/O KITABOORU VILLAGE, KUNDOORU HOBLI, ALURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 7. SHRI. DHARMEGOWDA S/O MUTTEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 67 YEARS, R/O SIDDAPUR VILLAGE, KUNDURU HOBLI, ALURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 8. SHRI. VASANTAKUMAR R. S/O LATE RUDREGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, R/O MUTTANAHALLI VILLAGE, HASSAN TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 9. SMT. MANJULA W/O C. P. CHANDREGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS, R/O ANKANAYAKANAHALLI KAVALU VILLAGE, ARAKALAGUDU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 10. SHRI. KALEGOWDA S/O LATE NINGEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS, R/O KAKODANAHALLI VILLAGE, MALLIPATTANA HOBLI, ARAKALAGUDU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34619 WP No. 12548 of 2025 11. SHRI. APPANNAGOWDA S/O APPAJIGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, R/O SIDDAPUR VILLAGE, KUNDURU HOOBLI, ALUR TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 12. SHRI. RANGEGOWDA S/O DASEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 67 YEARS, R/O SIDLAHOSAHLLI VILLAGE, KATTAY HOBLI, HASSAN TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 13. SHRI. RANGEGOWDA S/O LATE MANJEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS, R/O SIDLAHOSAHALLI VILLAGE, KATTAY HOBLI, HASSAN TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 14. SHRI. KUMARA A. G S/O GOWDAYYA, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, R/O HARALIMARADAKOPPALU VILLAGE, ALURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 15. SHRI. KRISHNEGOWDA S/O ANNEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS, R/O SIDDAPUR VILLAGE, KUNDURU HOBLI, ALURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 16. SMT. SAVITRAMMA W/O KRISHNEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS, R/O SIDDAPUR VILLAGE, KUNDURU HOBLI, ALURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34619 WP No. 12548 of 2025 17. SHRI. ANNAPPAGOWDA S/O LATE DYAVEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS, R/O TATTEKERE VILLAGE, KUNDURU HOBLI, ALURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. RAMESH YANKOB, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, M.S. BUILDING, BANGALORE – 560 001, REP/BY ITS SECRETARY ALURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT. 2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 214 3. THE TAHASILDAR HASSAN TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 115 4. THE TAHASILDAR ARAKALAGUDU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 115 5. THE TAHASILDAR BELURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 115 6. THE TAHASILDAR ALURU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 115 7. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, SAKALESHAPURA, - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34619 WP No. 12548 of 2025 HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 214 8. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, HASSAN, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 214 9. THE SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER FOR HEMAVATI RESERVOIR PROJECT, HASSAN – 573 214 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. V. SESHU, HCGP) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OR ORDER TO THE RESPONDENT-THE SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER FOR HEMAVATHI RESERVIOUR PROJECT, HASSAN, TO CONSIDER THE APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY ALL THE PETITIONERS WHICH ARE ANNEXED TO THE WRIT PETITION AS ANNEXURES-S1 TO S19, SEEKING ALTERNATIVE LANDS AND ETC. THIS WRIT PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS ORAL ORDER The petitioners No.1 to 17 claim to be the legal representatives of the respective erstwhile land owners, who lost their lands due to submergence of lands under water on the construction of Hemavati/Yagachi/Vatehole - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34619 WP No. 12548 of 2025 Reservoir Project, which are more fully described in the petition. 2. Learned Counsel for the petitioners submits that the Government of Karnataka announced certain Beneficiary Schemes and Rehabilitation Packages for the project displaced persons in addition to the payment of compensation. One of the benefits announced for such land-losers was that they will be given alternative agricultural lands elsewhere in the District. 3. The prayer in this writ petition is to issue a writ of mandamus to direct the respondent-Special Land Acquisition Officer, Hemavathi Reservoir Project, Hassan, to take action on the applications at Annexures-S1 to S19, given by the petitioners for grant of alternative lands. 4. This Court in several such petitions has found that lands were granted in terms of the Rehabilitation Package and thereafter, several orders have been passed cancelling the grants for various reasons. Nevertheless, it is an - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34619 WP No. 12548 of 2025 undisputed fact that such Rehabilitation Package was indeed announced by the State Government for the project displaced persons. 5. In that view of the matter, the writ petition stands disposed of with a specific direction to the respondent- Special Land Acquisition Officer, Hemavathi Reservoir Project, Hassan, to consider the respective applications at Annexures-S1 to Q19, given by the petitioners, verify the records and thereafter, pass necessary orders in accordance with law and in accordance with the Scheme formulated by the State Government. The entire exercise shall be completed as expeditiously as possible and at any rate within a period of four months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Ordered accordingly. Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE DL