- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 21ST DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA WRIT PETITION NO. 107607 OF 2024 (S-RES) C/W WRIT PETITION NO. 107219 OF 2024 (S-DIS) BETWEEN: DR SARVAMANGALA D/O MALLIKARJUN KUDARI, AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, OCC: KANNADA LECTURER M V WOMEN’S COMPOSITE PU COLLEGE, VIDYANAGAR, HUBBALLI, R/O: NO 202, 2ND FLOOR SAI SHELTAR APARTMENT, OLD INCOME TAX ROAD, BEHIND GANAPATI TEMPLE, VIDYANAGAR, HUBBALLI, TQ: HUBBALLI, DIST: DHARWAD. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SUNIL S. DESAI, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, (PRE UNIVERSITY) M S BUILDING, BENGALURU- 560001. 2. THE DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION, (PRE UNIVERSITY) 1ST CROSS, MALLESHWARA BENGALURU- 12. Digitally signed by VISHAL NINGAPPA PATTIHAL Location: High Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench, Dharwad - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 3. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION, (PRE UNIVERSITY), DHARWAD, DIST: DHARWAD- 580001. 4. SARDAR VEERANAGOUDA PATIL, MAJHILA VIDYA PEETHA, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, SRI BASANTKUMAR PATIL, VIDYANAGAR, HUBBALLI, DIST: DHARWAD- 580001. 5. SARDAR VEERANAGOUDA PATILS, WOMEN’S COMPOSITE PU COLLEGE, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL, VIDYANAGAR, HUBBALLI, DIST: DHARWAD- 580001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. KIRTILATA R. PATIL, HCGP FOR R1 TO R3, NOTICE TO R4 & R5 ARE SERVED) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA IS PRAYING TO WHEREFORE, THE PETITIONER PRAYS THAT THIS HON’BLE COURT BE PLEASED TO CALL FOR THE RELEVANT RECORDS AND, I. ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI SETTING ASIDE THE TWO ORDER BEARING NO. M.V.P./ H.O/ 687/ 2024-25 DATED 19-11-2024 ISSUED BY THE 5TH RESPONDENT VIDE ANNEXURE-AC AND THE SHOW CAUSE NOTICE DATED 01-12-2024 ISSUED BY THE ENQUIRY OFFICER VIDE ANNEXURE-AE AS ILLEGAL, ARBITRARY, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. 2. ISSUE ANY OTHER INCIDENTAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL RELIEFS AS DEEMED FIT UNDER THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE AND IN AID OF THE MAIN RELIEF SOUGHT FOR. - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 IN W.P.NO. 107219/2024 BETWEEN: 1. MAHILA VIDYA PEETH, VIDYA NAGAR, HUBBALLI TQ. HUBBALLI, DIST. DHARWAD R/BY ITS CHAIRMAN SHRI BASANTKUMAR S/O TIMMANAGOUDA PATIL AGE 77 YEARS, OCC. CHAIRMAN R/O VIDYA NAGAR, HUBBALLI 580021 TQ. HUBBALLI, DIST. DHARWAD …PETITIONER (BY SRI. A S PATIL, FOR SRI. SABEEL AHMED ADVOCATES) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA R/BY ITS SECRETARY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION VIDHAN SOUDHA, BENGALURU 560001 2. THE DIRECTOR DEPT. OF PRE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION 18TH CROSS, MALLESHWARAM BENGALURU 560008 3. THE JOINT DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (PRE UNIVERISTY) 18TH CROSS, MALLESHWARAM BENGALURU 560012 4. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (PRE UNIVERSITY) COLLEGE/RODDA ROAD, DHARWAD 580001 TQ AND DIST. DHARWAD 5. DR. SARVAMANGALA D/O MALLIKARJUN KUDARI AGE 58 YEARS, OCC. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR/LECTURER (KANNADA) (NOW UNDER SUSPENSION) R/O SAI SHELTER APARTMENT - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 OLD INCOME TAX OFFICE ROAD, BEHIND GANAPATI TEMPLE VIDYA NAGAR, HUBBALLI 580020 TQ. HUBBALLI, DIST. DHARWAD …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. KIRTILATHA R. PAIL, HCGP) THIS WRIT PETITON IS FILED PRAYING TO, I. WRIT OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER ORDER OR DIRECTION DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS NO.2 TO 4 CONSIDER THE REQUEST/CLAIM OF THE PETITIONER MANAGEMENT AND TO NOMINATE THEIR REPRESENTATIVE AS ONE OF THE MEMBER OF THE ENQUIRY COMMITTEE CONSTITUTED BY THE PETITIONER MANAGEMENT BY CONSIDERING THE REPRESENTATIONS DATED. 19.09.2024 AND 30.09.2024 SUBMITTED BY THE PETITIONER AS PER ANNEXURE-M AND N RESPECTIVELY AND ISSUE ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WIRT OR ORDE OR DIRECTION WHICH DEEMS FIT TO GRANT BY THIS HON’BLE COURT UNDER THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE. THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING: ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA) 1. The prayer qua order dated 19.11.2024 would not survive for the reason that the petitioner is already paid subsistence allowance. Therefore what remains to be considered is the show cause notice dated 01.12.2024. - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 2. Heard the learned counsel Sri.Sunil Desai appearing for the petitioner and learned High Court Government Pleader Smt.Kirtilata R. Patil appearing for respondent Nos.1 to 3. 3. Facts in brief germane are as follows: Petitioner is Lecturer working in respondent No.5 run by respondent No.4. On 10.09.2012 the Institution is admitted to grants at the hands of the State. Petitioner is also one among those Teachers who is admitted to the grant and is receiving grant from the State. Owing to a dispute between the petitioner and the respondent-management the claim of the petitioner to be appointed as Principal is turned down and a junior of the petitioner is appointed to the post of Principal. Based upon this it transpires that the further proceedings are sought to be instituted against the petitioner and the petitioner was placed under suspension. Subsistence allowance was not paid to the petitioner and departmental enquiry was sought to be conducted. It is at that juncture the - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 petitioner is at the doors of this Court in the subject petition. 4. Learned counsel Sri.Sunil Desai appearing for the petitioner would contend that the enquiry officer has issued a show cause notice directing the petitioner to appear in an enquiry that is sought to be conducted by. He would submit that there is no charge sheet issued, no reply from the hands of the petitioner and the enquiry officer has assumed their own himself and wants to conductal enquiry upon what is unknown. Learned counsel submits that there is no procedure known to law followed in the case at hand. 5. Learned counsel appearing for the management submits that the one Sri.H.R.Deshpande was appointed as an enquiry officer by the management. This was communicated to the State. The competent authority has accorded approval for the appointment of the enquiry officer. The State also has not looked into the documents - 7 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 as there is no charge sheet even issued against the petitioner. 6. Learned counsel appearing for the respondent-management would seek to defend the action on the ground that the enquiry will be conducted now, but the enquiry officer has issued a faulty notice to the petitioner. Therefore they be reserved liberty to initiate proceedings in accordance with law. The learned HCGP would submit that if proceedings are initiated in accordance with law and the same could be considered and necessary orders would be passed, as and when the documents are sent to the State for approval as necessary in law. 7. I have given my anxious consideration to the submissions made by the respective learned counsels appearing for the parties and have perused the material on record. 8. The afore-narrated facts are not in dispute. The issue now lies in a narrow campus. What drives the petitioner to this Court is a twin circumstance. One placing - 8 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 the petitioner under suspension and non-payment of subsisting allowance and the other issuance of show cause notice by the enquiry officer. The first circumstance is no longer in subsistence as the petitioner has been paid the subsistence allowance as on date. The grievance now revolves now the show cause notice. The show cause notice so issued by the enquiry officer, reads as follows: PÁgÀt PÉý £ÉÆÃn¸ÀÄ «µÀAiÀÄ: ²æêÀÄw ¸ÀªÀðªÀÄAUÀ¼Á PÀÄzÀj, PÀ£ÀßqÀ G¥À£Áå¸ÀQ, ¥ÀzÀ« ¥ÀƪÀð ªÀĺÁ «zÁå®AiÀÄ, ªÀÄ»¼Á «zÁå¦ÃoÀ, «zÁå£ÀUÀgÀ, ºÀħâ½î – 580021 EªÀgÀ PÀvÀðªÀå ¯ÉÆÃ¥ÀUÀ¼À «ZÁgÀuÉAiÀÄ PÀÄjvÀÄ. G¯ÉèÃR: 1) ¥ÀvÀæ ¸ÀASÉå: r¦AiÀÄÄJ/EJ¸ï n3/eÉeÉ(¦¦J)/1/2024/1302289 ¢£ÁAPÀ: 23/08/2024. 2) ¥ÀvÀæ ¸ÀASÉå: JªÀiï «¦/JZï.M/604/2024-25, ¢£ÁAPÀ: 31/08/2024 ºÁUÀÆ F ¥ÀvÀæ vÀ®Ä¦zÀ ¢£ÁAPÀ: 03/09/2024. 3) ¤zÉÃð±ÀPÀgÀ PÀZÉÃj ±Á¯Á ²PÀët E¯ÁSÉ (¥ÀzÀ« ¥ÀƪÀð) ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄgÀªÀgÀ ¥ÀvÀæ ¸ÀASÉå: DPUE/EST3/ JJ(PPA)/1/2024/1302289 ¢£ÁAPÀ:21/11/2024 ªÉÄîÌAqÀ «µÀAiÀÄPÉÌ ¸ÀA§A¢ü¹zÀAvÉ, G¯ÉèÃR 3gÀ ¥ÀæPÁgÀ £À£ÀߣÀÄ «ZÁgÀ£Á¢üPÁjAiÀiÁV £ÉêÀÄPÀ ªÀiÁrgÀĪÀÅzÀ£ÀÄß C£ÀĪÉÆ¢¸À¯ÁVzÉ. vÀªÀÄä ªÉÄÃ¯É ¥ÀzÀ« ¥ÀƪÀð ªÀĺÁ «zÁå®AiÀÄ ªÀÄ»¼Á «zÁå¦ÃoÀ, «zÁå£ÀUÀgÀ, ºÀħâ½î-21 PÁAiÀÄ𠤪Àð»¸ÀÄwÛgÀĪÁUÀ ªÀiÁrzÀ PÀvÀðªÀå ¯ÉÆÃ¥ÀUÀ¼À «ªÀgÀUÀ¼ÀÄ F PɼÀV£ÀAvÉ EªÉ:- 1) 26.01.2016 gÀ UÀtgÁeÉÆåÃvÀézÀ ¢ªÀ¸ÀzÀAzÀÄ UÉÊgÀÄ ºÁdgÁwAiÀÄ §UÉÎ ¥ÁæZÁAiÀÄðgÀÄ «ªÀgÀuÉ PÉÆÃjzÁUÀ CzÀPÉÌ GvÀÛgÀªÁV fêÀPÉÌ ºÁ¤AiÀiÁzÀgÉà ¥ÁæZÁAiÀÄðgÉ ºÉÆ£É JAzÀÄ w½¹¢Ýj CzÀPÉÌ ®UÀwÛ¹zÀ ªÉÊzÀågÀ ªÀgÀ¢AiÀÄ ¢£ÁAPÀ MAzÀÄ wAUÀ¼À ªÉÆzÀ°£ÀzÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. - 9 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 2) ¢£ÁAPÀ 23.02.2022 gÀAzÀÄ ²æêÀÄw Dgï.J¸ï.¸ÀdÓ£À±ÉnÖ EªÀgÀÄ PÀ£ÀßqÀ «µÀAiÀÄ ¨sÉÆzÀ£ÉAiÀÄ PÀÄjvÀAvÉ ºÁUÀÆ GvÀÛgÀ ¥ÀwæPÉUÀ¼À ªÀiË®å ªÀiÁ¥À£ÀUÀ¼À §UÉÎ ªÀiÁrzÀ DgÉÆÃ¥ÀUÀ¼ÀÄ. 3) 2023 gÀ ¦AiÀÄĹ-II ªÁ¶ðPÀ ¥ÀjÃPÉëAiÀÄ°è E¯ÁSÉ DzÉñÀzÀ ¥ÀæPÁgÀ GvÀÛgÀ ¥ÀwæPÉ ¥Á®PÀgÁVzÀÄÝ PÀqÁØAiÀĪÁV ºÁdgÁUÀ¨ÉÃPÁVvÀÄÛ. DzÀgÉ ¥ÀjÃPÉëAiÀÄ°è GvÀÛgÀ ¥ÀwæPÉAiÀÄ ¥Á®PÀgÀ ºÀÄzÉÝAiÀÄ PÁAiÀÄðPÉÌ UÉÊgÀÄ ºÁdgÁVzÀÝjAzÀ ²æêÀÄw ®°vÁ JZï vÉÆÃlzÀ EªÀgÀÄ ¸ÀzÀj PÁAiÀÄ𠤪Àð»¹zÁÝgÉ. 4) 2023 gÀ ¦AiÀÄĹ-I ªÁ¶ðPÀ ¥ÀjÃPÉëAiÀÄ°è ¢£ÁAPÀ 28.2.2023 gÀAzÀÄ dgÀÄVzÀ CxÀð±Á¸ÀÛç «µÀAiÀÄPÀ DAUÀè ªÀiÁzsÀåªÀÄzÀ 31 ¥Àæ±Éß ¥ÀwæPÉ PÉÆgÀvɬÄAzÀ «zÁåyðUÀ½UÉ vÉÆAzÀgÉ ªÀiÁr¢ÝgÉ. 5) 2023 gÀ ¦AiÀÄĹ-I ªÁ¶ðPÀ ¥ÀjÃPÉëAiÀÄ ªÀÄÄRå¸ÀÜgÁV ¨ÉÃdªÁ¨ÁÝj PÁAiÀÄð ªÀiÁrzÀÝgÀ §UÉÎ ¢£ÁAPÀ 17.03.2023 gÀAzÀÄ ¥ÁæZÁAiÀÄðgÀÄ ¤ÃrzÀ £ÉÆÃn¸ÀÄ. 6) 2023 gÀ ¦AiÀÄĹ-I ªÁ¶ðPÀ ¥ÀjÃPÉëAiÀÄ ¥sÀ°vÁA±À vÀAiÀiÁj¹ E¯ÁSɬÄAzÀ C£ÀĪÉÆÃzÀ£É ¥ÀqÉAiÀÄ®Ä «¼ÀA§ ªÀiÁr¢Ýj. 7) ¢£ÁAPÀ 30.03.2023 gÀAzÀÄ vÀªÀÄä ªÉÄÃ¯É PÀvÀðªÀå ¯ÉÆÃ¥ÀzÀ §UÉÎ ¦AiÀÄĹ ¹§âA¢AiÀĪÀgÀÄ ¸À°è¹zÀ DgÉÆÃ¥ÀUÀ¼À PÀÄjvÀAvÉ. 8) DqÀ½vÀ ªÀÄAqÀ½AiÀÄ ªÉÄÃ¯É vÉÃeÉƪÀzÉ ºÁUÀÆ ªÀåQÛvÀéºÀgÀt §UÉÎ ¸ÀļÀÄî DgÉÆÃ¥ÀUÀ¼À£ÀÄß ªÀiÁrzÀ PÀÄjvÀAvÉ. 9) 05.06.2024 gÀAzÀÄ ¤ªÀÄä PÀvÀðªÀå ¯ÉÆÃ¥ÀzÀ PÀÄjvÀAvÉ PÁgÀt PÉý PÉÆlÖ £ÉÆÃn¹UÉ ¸ÀļÀÄî «ªÀgÀuÉUÀ¼À£ÀÄß ¤Ãr¢Ýj 10) ¤ÃªÀÅ C£ÀÄzÁ£À gÀ»vÀ ¹§âA¢AiÀĪÀgÀ ªÉÄÃ¯É ªÀiÁrzÀ ªÉÊAiÀÄPÀÛPÀ ¤AzÀ£ÉUÀ¼À PÀÄjvÀAvÉ. 11) ¤ÃªÀÅ G¥À£Áå¸À PÉÆoÀrUÀ¼À C£À¢üPÀÈvÀ ¥ÀæªÉñÀUÀ¼À PÀÄjvÀAvÉ 12) ¤ÃªÀÅ ²æêÀÄw ªÀÄAdļÁ ªÀÄÄAqÀgÀV CªÀgÀ ªÉÄÃ¯É ¤AzÀ£ÉAiÀÄ DgÉÆÃ¥ÀUÀ¼À §UÉÎ. DzÀÄzÀjAzÀ ªÉÄîÌAqÀ PÀvÀðªÀå ¯ÉÆÃ¥ÀUÀ¼À §UÉÎ F £ÉÆÃn¸ÀÄ eÁjAiÀiÁzÀ 3 ¢ªÀ¸ÀUÀ¼À M¼ÀUÉ ¤ªÀÄä GvÀÛgÀªÀ£ÀÄß ¸À°è¸À¨ÉÃPÀÄ. MAzÀÄ ªÉÃ¼É EzÀPÉÌ vÀ¦àzÀÝ°è ¤ªÀÄä «gÀÄzÀÝ The Karnataka Pre-University Education (Academic, Registration, Administration and Grant-in-aid etc.,) Rules, 2006 gÀ°è£À ¤AiÀĪÀÄ 28 gÀ°è ºÁUÀÆ The Karnataka Department of School Education (Pre-University) (Academic, Registration, Administration and Grant-in-aid etc.,) Rules, 2024 gÀ ¤AiÀĪÀÄ 34(4) £ÉÃzÀݪÀÅUÀ¼À ¥ÀæPÁgÀ «ZÁgÀuÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß AiÀiÁPÉ ªÀiÁqÀ¨ÁgÀzÀÄ? ²æÃ.JZï.Dgï.zÉñÀ¥ÁAqÉ (¤ªÀÈvÀÛ f¯Áè ºÁUÀÆ £ÁåAiÀiÁ¢üñÀgÀÄ) «ZÁgÀuÁ¢üPÁjUÀ¼ÀÄ 9. It transpires that the management had communicated to the State with regard to the appointment - 10 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 of the enquiry officer. That is approved by the State. Therefore the enquiry officer assumes himself the role of the enquiry officer, without any order from the disciplinary authority to conduct an enquiry, notwithstanding the fact that there is no charge sheet issued and there is no reply sought from the hands of the petitioner and the entire proceedings are taken up in blatant violation of the basic tenets of conduct of a departmental enquiry. The enquiry officer traces his power in the notice under the Karnataka Department of School Education (Pre-University) (Academic, Registration, Administration and Grant-in-aid etc.,) Rules, 2024. The Rules itself contemplate the procedure for conduct of disciplinary authority, unless the procedure is followed no enquiry can be permitted to be continued. Admittedly, in the case at hand the procedure is not followed even to its remotest sense as there is no charge sheet issued against the petitioner, the enquiry officer is directing the petitioners to appear before him without even issuance of the charge sheet. This cannot be - 11 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 permitted as it is not in tune with the law. In that light, the petition deserves to succeed. 10. For the aforesaid reasons the following: ORDER (i) The petition in W.P. No. 107607/2024 stands allowed. (ii) The notice issued to the petitioner by the enquiry officer stands quashed. However, liberty is always reserved to the management to initiate proceedings in accordance with law bearing in mind the observations made in the course of the order. (iii) In the light of the order passed in W.P. No.107607/2024, the prayer sought in the companion petition i.e., W.P. No.107219/2024 would not survive for - 12 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:3624 WP No. 107607 of 2024 C/W WP No. 107219 of 2024 consideration at this juncture. It is disposed as having rendered infructuous. Ordered accordingly. Sd/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE RHR/- List No.: 1 Sl No.: 48