Extracted from the PDF above. The PDF is authoritative.
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HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:53818 WP No. 38052 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 17TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S SUNIL DUTT YADAV WRIT PETITION NO. 38052 OF 2025 (LR) BETWEEN:
1. SRI.B.S.RAGHUPATHY AGED ABOUT 74 YEARS S/O LATE KRISHNAPPA SANNAIAH, R/O NO.383, 2ND G CROSS, 3RD BLOCK, 3RD STAGE, NEAR FLORENCE HIGH SCHOOL, BASAVESHWARANAGAR, BENGALURU NORTH, BENGALURU-560 079.
… PETITIONER (BY SRI. RAJENDRA S., ADVOCATE) AND:
1.
THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, M.S BUILDING, BENGALURU - 560 001.
2.
THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER SAGAR SUB-DIVISION, SAGAR, SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT-577 401 Digitally signed by VIJAYA P Location:
HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
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HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:53818 WP No. 38052 of 2025
3.
THE TAHASILAR THE TAHSILDAR, SAGAR TALUK, SAGAR, SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT-577 401.
… RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. V. SESHU, HCGP)
THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS COMMANDING THE RESPONDENTS TO RESTORE THE NAME OF THE PETITIONER IN ALL REVENUE RECORDS IN RESPECT OF THE SCHEDULED LANDS BY ACCEPTING THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PETITIONER DATED 03.07.2023 VIDE ANNEXURE-H TO THE WRIT PETITION AND ALSO CONSIDERING THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE R2 DATED 17.11.2020 AND 10.04.2023 VIDE ANNEXURE-G AND G1 TO THE WRIT PETITION SINCE SECTIONS 79A AND B OF THE ACT WERE OMITTED BY VIRTUE OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE LAND REFORMS ACT AND ETC.
THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S SUNIL DUTT YADAV ORAL ORDER Learned High Court Government Pleader accepts notice for the respondents.
2. Petitioner has called in question the correctness of the endorsements at Annexures-G and G1 and has sought for issuance of writ of mandamus to direct the
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HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:53818 WP No. 38052 of 2025 respondent - Authorities to consider the representation at Annexure-H.
3. The facts relevant for disposal of the present petition are that the petitioner is stated to have purchased agricultural land on 30.01.2012 in Sy. Nos. 87 and 87/1 of Sasaravalli Village, Talaguppa Hobli, Sagar Taluk, as regards an extent of 20 guntas out of 4 acres 12 guntas. It is further submitted that on 04.06.2012 the petitioner has purchased agricultural land in Sy. No. 87/1 as regards an extent of 3 acres 26 guntas out of 3 acres 31 guntas. It is further submitted that the revenue entries have been effected in name of the petitioner.
4. It is noticed that subsequently the Assistant Commissioner has passed an order regarding violation of Sections 79-A and 79-B of the Land Reforms Act, 1961 as per the order dated 17.08.2015. It is not in dispute and borne out from the records that the said order of the Assistant Commissioner was challenged before the
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HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:53818 WP No. 38052 of 2025 Karnataka Appellate Tribunal in Appeal No. 1173/2015. The Karnataka Appellate Tribunal has set aside the order of the Assistant Commissioner and remitted the matter back to the Assistant Commissioner for holding fresh enquiry. This order was passed on 13.07.2020.
5. It is further noticed that the omission of Sections 79-A and 79-B was by second amendment on
13.07.2020. If that were to be so, by virtue of omission of Sections 79-A and 79-B and by virtue of the provisions of the Amendment Act, all proceedings abate. Legal consequence of which would be that the direction of the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal for remand and fresh enquiry could not have been taken to a logical end, as all proceedings under the Land Reforms Act would abate.
6. Accordingly, the
order of the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal must be construed as setting aside the
order of the Assistant Commissioner and the direction regarding remand is to be construed as a direction which
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HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:53818 WP No. 38052 of 2025 has abated. The Assistant Commissioner in terms of the endorsements at Annexures-G and G1 has taken the same stand that no further proceedings could be taken pursuant to the direction of the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal which is the correct position.
7. Petitioner has made a representation at Annexure-H for effecting revenue entries in the name of the petitioner in light of the order of the Assistant Commissioner having been set aside. In light of the
discussion made above, the order of the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal insofar as setting aside the order of the Assistant Commissioner is to be treated to have attained finality with no further question of remand and reconsideration. If that were to be so, order of the Assistant Commissioner having been set aside, the respondent No.3 - Tahsildar is directed to consider the representation at Annexure-H and pass necessary orders for restoration of the petitioner's name in the revenue entries, which would be the legal recourse in light of the
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HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:53818 WP No. 38052 of 2025
discussion made above. Necessary action to be taken by the Tahsildar within a period not later than 3 months from today.
8. Accordingly, petition is disposed of. Sd/- (S SUNIL DUTT YADAV) JUDGE VP