- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49140-DB WA No. 3775 of 2019 C/W WA No. 3947 of 2019 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 26TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND WRIT APPEAL NO. 3775 OF 2019 (GM-RES) C/W WRIT APPEAL NO. 3947 OF 2019 (GM-RES) IN WA No. 3775/2019 BETWEEN: 1. SRI A. RAMACHANDRA RAO, S/O. SRI. ARJUN RAO, AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS, RETIRED AS UNDER SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS, VIDHANA SOUDHA, VIDHANA VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560001. RESIDING AT No.1242/2, 4TH CROSS, 4TH MAIN ROAD, DR. AMBEDKAR LAYOUT, NEW EXTENSION, KAVALBYRASANDRA, R. T. NAGAR POST, BENGALURU-560032. …APPELLANT (BY SRI SAGAR B. B., ADVOCATE) Digitally signed by VALLI MARIMUTHU Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49140-DB WA No. 3775 of 2019 C/W WA No. 3947 of 2019 AND: 1. THE SECRETARY TO GOVT., DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL & ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS, JANASPANDANA, 12TH FLOOR, PHODIUM BLOCK, VISVESHWARAYYA TOWER, VIDHANA VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560001. 2. THE UNDER SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS, JANASPANDANA, 3RD FLOOR, PHODIUM BLOCK, VISVESHWARAYYA TOWER, VIDHANA VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560001. 3. THE CHIEF INFORMATION COMMISSIONER/ STATE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER, IN KARNATAKA, INFORMATION COMMISSION, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS, JANASPANDANA, 12TH FLOOR, PHODIUM BLOCK, VISVESHWARAYYA TOWER, VIDHANA VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560001. 4. SRI. S.M. SOMASHEKAR, IFS (HR) 1983, RETIRED, FATHERS NAME NOT KNOWN, RESIDING AT No.1316/F, 80 FEET ROAD, 9TH CROSS, J.P. NAGAR, II PHASE, BENGALURU-560078. 5. SRI K. P. MANJUANTHA, S/O. SRI. K. PARAMESHWARAPPA, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49140-DB WA No. 3775 of 2019 C/W WA No. 3947 of 2019 ADVOCATE, 12TH CROSS, CHANNAKESHAVANAGAR, SHIKARIPURA TOWN/TALUK, SHIMOGA DISTRICT. …RESPONDENTS (R1 & R2 SERVED; BY SRI G.B. SHARATH GOWDA, ADVOCATE FOR R3; SRI RAJASHEKAR K., ADVOCATE FOR R4 & R5) THIS WRIT APPEAL FILED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE, DATED 3RD SEPTEMBER, 2019 PASSED IN WP No.21456/2019 (GM-RES) AND ALLOWED THE WRIT PETITION AS PRAYED FOR. IN WA No. 3947/2019 BETWEEN: 1. SRI J. M. RAJASHEKHARA, S/O JAYADEVAIAH MATHAD, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, No.36, AMMA, BESIDE MOUNT VIEW SCHOOL, HUNASIKATTI ROAD, RANEBENNUR, HAVERI-581 115. ...APPELLANT (BY SRI SHIVOYOGESHA SHIIVAYOGIMATH, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, DEPT. OF PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION, KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, 3RD BLOCK, PODIUM BLOCK, V. V. TOWER, - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49140-DB WA No. 3775 of 2019 C/W WA No. 3947 of 2019 BENGALURU-560 001, REP. BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY. 2. SRI S. M. SOMASHEKAR, S/O MANTYAIAH, AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS, STATE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER, KARNATAKA INFORMATION COMMISSION, MAHITI SOUDHA, BENGALURU-01. 3. SRI K. P. MANJUNATH, S/O K. PARAMESHWARAPPA, AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, STATE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER, KARNATAKA INFORMATION COMMISSION, MAHITI SOUDHA, BENGALURU-01. ...RESPONDENTS (BY SRI K.S. RAHUL CARIAPPA, AGA FOR R1; SRI RAJASHEKAR K., ADVOCATE FOR R2 & R3) THIS WRIT APPEAL FILED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 03/09/2019 IN WP No.8291/2019 PASSED BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE OF THIS HON'BLE COURT AND CONSEQUENTLY ALLOW THE WRIT PETITION FILED BY THE APPELLANT IN TOTO. THESE APPEALS COMING ON FOR HEARING THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49140-DB WA No. 3775 of 2019 C/W WA No. 3947 of 2019 ORAL JUDGMENT (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI) A memo for withdrawal has been filed today in Court by the learned counsel for the appellants in both appeals, stating that the writ appeals have become infructuous. 2. The memos are accepted on record. 3. Both appeals are accordingly dismissed. Sd/- (JAYANT BANERJI) JUDGE Sd/- (K. V. ARAVIND) JUDGE MV List No.: 1 Sl No.: 17