- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14773 WP No. 108060 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 31ST DAY OF OCTOBER 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA WRIT PETITION NO. 108060 OF 2025 (T-MVT) BETWEEN: 1. SANDEEP S/O. BHIMAPPA BELAGALI AGE: 54 YEARS, OCC: ADVOCATE, R/O: JIAN GALLI, SAVALAGI TALUK:JAMKHANDI, DIST: BAGALKOT PIN:587301. 2. MALLAPPA S/O. HANAMANTH HOSUR AGE: 35 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: NEAR VITHAL MANDIR, GANI TALUK: JAMKHANDI, DIST: BAGALKOT PIN: 587301. 3. IRANAGOUDA S/O. BASANAGOUDA NYAMAGOUDAR AGE: 64 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: GALAGALI, TALUK: BILAGI, DIST: BAGALKOT, PIN: 587117. 4. RAVINDRA S/O. RAJATAGOUDA NYAMAGOUDAR AGE: 34 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: #426 GALAGALI TALUK: BILAGI, DIST: BAGALKOT PIN: 587117. 5. VENKATESH S/O. SURESHGOUDA PATIL AGE: 41 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: #182 NEAR VITHAL MANDIR GANI, TALUK: JAMKHANDI, DIST: BAGALKOT PIN: 587301. 6. RAYAGOND S/O. SUNILAKUMAR BELAGALI AGE: 30 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: TAKKALAKI, TALUK: JAMKHANDI, Digitally signed by VISHAL NINGAPPA PATTIHAL Location: High Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench, Dharwad - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14773 WP No. 108060 of 2025 DIST: BAGALKOT PIN: 587301. 7. SHASHIKANTH S/O. HANAMANTH GALAGALI AGE: 43 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: #32 SINGADI ONI, GANI TALUK: JAMKHANDI, DIST: BAGALKOT PIN: 587301. 8. VIVEKANAND S/O. PUNDALIK PALABHAVI AGE: 35 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: KURABAR ONI HIPPARAGI TALUK: JAMKHANDI, DIST: BAGALKOT, PIN: 587301. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SHIVARAJ P. MUDHOL,ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY, VIDHANA SOUDHA, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU, PIN: 560001. 2. THE COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND ROAD SAFETY, 1ST FLOOR, A BLOCK, TTMC BUILDING, NGO COLONY, SHANTHI NAGAR BENGALURU. PIN: 560 027. 3. THE REGIONAL TRANSPORT OFFICER (RTO), BAGALKOT, TALUK: BAGALKOT, DISTRICT: BAGALKOT, PIN: 587301. 4. THE ASSISTANT REGIONAL TRANSPORT OFFICER, (ARTO), JAMKHANDI, TALUK, JAMKHANDI, DIST: BAGALKOT, PIN: 587301. …RESPONDENTS (BY T. HANUMAREDDY, AGA) - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14773 WP No. 108060 of 2025 THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS NO. 2 TO 4 NOT TO SEIZE AND NOT TO DEMAND THE ROAD TAX OF THE PETITIONER VEHICLE. DESCRIPTION OF THE VEHICLES OF THE PETITIONERS. PETITIONER NO.1. SANDEEP S/O. BHIMAPPA BELAGALI VEHICLE. MARUTI SUZUKI S-CROSS ZETA SHVS REGISTRATION NO. PY 01 CT 2388 DATE OF REGISTRATION. 04/09/2018. VALID TILL. 03/09/2033. PETITIONER NO.2 MALLAPPA S/O HANAMANTH HOSUR VEHICLE. TATA SAFARI ADVENTURE REGISTRATION NO. PY 05 T 0457DATE OF REGISTRATION. 29/10/2024. VALID TILL. 28/10/2039. PETITIONER NO.3 IRANAGOUDA S/O. BASANAGOUDA NYAMAGOUDAR VEHICLE: HYUNDAI CRETA 1.5 CRDI MT SX TECHREGISTRATION NO. PY 05 VD 9578DATE OF REGISTRATION. 06/03/2024. VALID TILL. 05/03/2039. PETITIONER NO.4 RAVINDRA S/O RAJATAGOUDA NYAMAGOUDAR VEHICLE. TATA NEXON CRTV SDK DMTREGISTRATION NO. PY 05 S 7569 DATE OF REGISTRATION. 23/09/2024. VALID TILL. 22/09/2039. PETITIONER NO. 5 VENKATESH S/O. SURESHGOUDA PATIL VEHICLE. HYUNDAI CRETA 1.5 CRDI MT S(O) REGISTRATION NO. PY 05 T 3747 DATE OF REGISTRATION. 18/11/2024.VALID TILL. 17/11/2039. PETITIONER NO. 6 RAYAGOND S/O. SUNILAKUMAR BELAGALI VEHICLE. HYUNDAI CRETA 1.5 CRDI MT SX(0) REGISTRATION NO. PY 05 VF 3069 DATE OF REGISTRATION. 30/12/2024. VALID TILL. 29/12/2039. PETITIONER NO. 7 SHASHIKANT S/O. HANAMANTH GALAGALI VEHICLE. TOYOTA URBAN CRUISER HYRYDERG MT CNG GMT 2WD CNG REGISTRATION NO. PY 05 S 2235 DATE OF REGISTRATION. 16/07/2024. VALID TILL. 15/07/2039. PETITIONER NO. 8. VIVEKANAND S/O. PUNDALIK PALABHAVI VEHICLE. MARUTI ERTIGA ZDI DDIS 225 DIESEL REGISTRATION NO. PY 05 H 2358 DATE OF REGISTRATION. 25/06/2019. VALID TILL. 24/06/2034 IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY AND ETC., THIS WRIT PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14773 WP No. 108060 of 2025 ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA) 1. The petitioners are before this Court seeking a direction by way of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondent Nos.2 to 4 not to seize the vehicle or demand tax except in accordance with law. 2. The learned AGA on instructions would submit that in terms of Section 49 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules, unilateral seizure of the vehicle cannot take place, it can be only after issuance of notice and hearing the petitioner, tax being demanded later on. 3. In the light of the said submission, the apprehension of the petitioners that no procedure would be followed in law could not merit any acceptance. Therefore, according to the submission of the learned AGA, if action is to be initiated against the petitioners for demand of tax, it shall be only in terms of Section 49 of the Rules. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:14773 WP No. 108060 of 2025 4. Reserving liberty to the petitioners to knock at the doors of the appropriate fora, I deem it appropriate to dispose this petition with the aforesaid observation. Ordered accordingly. Sd/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE kmv CT-ASC