- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:29869 WP No. 21915 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 1ST DAY OF AUGUST, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.T. NARENDRA PRASAD WRIT PETITION NO. 21915 OF 2024 (S-RES) BETWEEN: 1. MR VIJAY RAMU @ N RAMU S/O. LATE SRI. C. NARASIMHA AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS HR NO. 200205297 OCCUPATION JUNIOR ENGINEER 0/0. AGM MM, M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED, BGBA, TELEPHONE HOUSE RAJBHAVAN RAOD, BANGALORE-560001. 2. MR. MAHESH BABU H., S/O. LATE SRI. M. HANUMAIAH AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS HR NO. 200205137 OCCUPATION JUNIOR ENGINEER O/O. AGM SHANKARAPURAM M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED YEDIYUR TELEPHONE EXCHANGE BGBA, BANGALORE-560070. 3. MR. G. SANDEEP S/O. LATE B.M. GOPALAKRISHNA AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS HR NO. 200103247 OCCUPATION TELECOM TECHNICIAN, O/O. AGM, HRD. M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED BGBA, TELEPHONE HOUSE RAJBHAVAN ROAD, BANGALORE-560001. Digitally signed by HEMALATHA A Location: HIGH COURTOF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:29869 WP No. 21915 of 2024 4. MR. BIRENDRA S/O. LATE SRI. HARAK BAHADUR AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS HR NO. 200103565 OCCUPATION TELECOM TECHNICIAN O/O. AGM, SHANKARPURAM M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED YEDIYUR TELEPHONE EXCHANGE, BGBA BANGALORE-560070. 5. MR. C. RAJU S/O. LATE SRI. CHINNAPPAIAN AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS HR NO. 200205142 OCCUPATION JUNIOR ENGINEER O/O. SDE, M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED HOSKOTE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE COLLEGE ROAD, HOSKOTE BANGALORE RURAL-562114. 6. MR. DEEPAK H.V., S/O. LATE SRI. V.A. HONNAPPA AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS HR NO. 200204767 OCCUPATION JUNIOR TELECOM OFFICER O/O. AGM, TM., NW. M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED BGBA, MALLESWARAM, BANGALORE-560003. 7. MRS. S. ANUSUYA W/O. LATE SRI. K. THYAGARAJ AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS HR NO. 200204417 OCCUPATION SENIOR OFFICE ASSOCIATE (SOA) O/0. AGM, IPCM., M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED BGBA, TELEPHONE HOUSE RAJBHAVAN ROAD, BANGALORE-560001. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:29869 WP No. 21915 of 2024 8. MR. RAGHAVENDRA V., S/O. LATE SRI. H. VENKATAPPA AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS HR NO. 200205138 OCCUPATION SENIOR OFFICE ASSOCIATE O/O. SDE, CSC., M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED JALAHALLI TELEPHONE EXCHANGE BGBA, JALAHALLI, BANGALORE-560013. 9. MR. R. DINESH KUMAR S/O. LATE SRI. A. RUDRAPPA AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS HR NO. 200206652 OCCUPATION SENIOR OFFICE ASSOCIATE O/O. AGM, CSC M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED BGBA, YELAHANKA, BANGALORE-560064. 10. MRS. S. POONGODI D/O. LATE SRI. V. SANJEEVI AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS HR NO. 200202769 OCC: ASSISTANT OFFICE SUPERINTENDENT M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED AOS (G), O/O. CGM., QA AND INSP CIRCLE 2ND FLOOR, WMS COMPOUND SANCHAR COMPLEX, 9TH MAIN JAYANAGAR, 5TH BLOCK BANGALORE-560041. 11. MR. K. GOVARDHAN GUPTA S/O. LATE SRI. K. RAMAMOHAN GUPTA AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS HR NO. 200103096 OCCUPATION SENIOR OFFICE ASSOCIATE O/O. AGM, CSC., - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:29869 WP No. 21915 of 2024 M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED BGBA, MALLESWARAM BANGALORE-560003. 12. MRS. V. PADMA W/O. LATE SRI. CHIKKANNA C. AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS HR NO. 200103264 OCCUPATION ASSISTANT O/O. AGM, MM. M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED CTO BUILDING, BANGALORE-560001. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. HANJER RAGHAVENDRA BASAVARAJ.,ADVOCATE) AND: 1. UNION OF INDIA REP. BY ITS SECRETARY MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS 20, SANCHAR BHAVAN, ASHOKA ROAD NEW DELHI-110001. 2. UNION OF INDIA, REP. BY ITS ADDITIONAL SECRETARY MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS DEPARTMENT OF PENSION & PENSIONERS WELFARE, LOK NAYAK BHAWAN KHAN MARKET, NEW DELHI-110001. 3. M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED (A PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY INCORPORATED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956) REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN, DCC AND SECRETARY (TELECOM), 20, 2ND FLOOR - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:29869 WP No. 21915 of 2024 SANCHAR BHAVAN, ASHOKA ROAD NEW DELHI-110001. 4. M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED (A PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY INCORPORATED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956) REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR BHARAT SANCHAR BHAVAN HARISCHANDRA MATHUR LANE JANPATH, NEW DELHI-110001. 5. BSNL BOARD, (A PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY INCORPORATED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956) REP. BY ITS DIRECTOR-HR/ADMIN CORPORATE OFFICE, 3RD FLOOR BHARAT SANCHAR BHAVAN JAN PATH, NEW DELHI-110001. 6. M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED (A PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY INCORPORATED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956) REP. BY ITS CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER TELECOM, KARNATAKA CIRCLE NO.1, SWAMI VIVEKANADA ROAD HALASURU, BANGALORE-560008. 7. M/S. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED (A PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY INCORPORATED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956) REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL GENERAL MANAGER BENGALURU BUSINESS AREA, TELEPHONE HOUSE RAJBHAVAN ROAD, BENGALURU-560001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. SAROJINI MUTHANNA K., CGC, FOR R1 & RE: SRI N AMARESH, ADVOCATE FOR R3 TO R7) - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:29869 WP No. 21915 of 2024 THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 26 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENTS TO CONSIDER THE REPRESENTATIONS DATED 11.08.2010, 31.08.2010, 24.08.2023, 03.10.2023, 11.03.2024, 07.03.2024, 12.03.2024, 13.03.2024, 15.03.2024, 25.03.2024 (ANNEXURES-F1 TO F11) AND 02.05.2024 (ANNEXURE-A) GIVEN WITH A REQUEST FOR RESTORING THE BENEFITS OF GENERAL PROVIDENT FUND AND PENSION BENEFITS ETC. AVAILABLE UNDER THE CENTRAL CIVIL SERVICES (PENSION) RULES, 1972 AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.T. NARENDRA PRASAD ORAL ORDER 1. At the outset, learned counsel for respondent Nos.3 to 7 raised a preliminary objection regarding maintainability of the writ petition on the ground that the petitioners are Civil Servants and they have to approach the Central Administrative Tribunal. 2. The grievance in respect of the ‘service matters’ cannot be a subject matter of adjudication at the hands of a writ Court, as the court of first instance, in the light of the decision of the Apex Court in the case - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:29869 WP No. 21915 of 2024 of L.Chandra Kumar vs. Union of India and others reported in (1997) 3 SCC 261. 3. In view of the above, the writ petition is disposed of, reserving liberty for the petitioners to approach the appropriate legal forum. 4. Registry is directed to return the original or certified copies of the documents, if any, to the petitioners, after retaining the Xerox copies of the same. Sd/- (H.T. NARENDRA PRASAD) JUDGE DM LIST NO.: 1 SL NO.: 58