- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:32306 WP No. 22448 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 20TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD WRIT PETITION NO. 22448 OF 2025 (GM-KSR) BETWEEN: FRIENDS KRIDA MATTU MANORANJANA KENDRA (R) KENDRA (R), SITUATED AT SY.NO.616, DAVANAGERE ROAD, HOLALKERE TOWN, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT-577 526. THE SOCIETY IS REGISTERED UNDER KARNATAKA SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT, REG. NO.DRCT/SOR/719/2023-24, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, D.R. MAHASWAMY S/O RUDRAPPA D, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, R/O KH SIDDARAMAPPA BADAVANE, 8TH CROSS, HOLALKERE TOWN, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT-577 526. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. R SHASHIDHARA.,ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE DISTRICT REGISTRAR OF SOCIETIES AND DEPUTY REGISTRAR Digitally signed by VANAMALA N Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:32306 WP No. 22448 of 2025 OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT, CHITRADURGA-577 501. 2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REP, BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HOME, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU-560 001. 3. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE, DAVANAGERE-577 001, EASTERN RANGE. 4. SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE CHITRADURGA-577 526. 5. THE DEPUTY SUPERINTEND OF POLICE, CHITRADURGA DIVISION, CHITRADURGA-577 526. 6. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF INVESTIGATION BEURO, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT-577 526. 7. THE CIRCLE INSPECTOR, HOLALKERE, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT-577 526. 8. THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE, HOLALKERE POLICE STATION, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT-577 526. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT.K.P. YASHODHA., AGA) - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:32306 WP No. 22448 of 2025 THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE WRIT OF CERTIORARI OR ANY OTHER WRIT OR ORDER OR DIRECTION, IN THE NATURE OF WRIT, QUASHING THE ORDER PASSED BY THE 1 RESPONDENT IN NO DRD/SA SAM/S.O.R/719/2023- 244/2025-26 DATED 31.05.2025 VIDE ANNEXURE-E, TO THIS WRIT PETITION; B) ISSUE WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED ON BY THE MEMBERS OF THE PETITIONERS ASSOCIATION CALLED FRIENDS KRIDA MATTU MANORANJANA KENDRA (R) SITUATED AT SY.NO.616, DAVANAGERE ROAD, HOLALKERE TOWN, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT AND PERMIT THEM TO CARRY OUT THE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN TERMS OF THE GUIDELINES ISSUED BY THIS HONBLE COURT IN WP 8936/2024 VIDE ANNEXURE-G. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:32306 WP No. 22448 of 2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD ORAL ORDER The petitioner, an Association purportedly operating a Recreation Club, is aggrieved by the first respondent's Endorsement dated 31.05.2025 [Annexure-E]. The first respondent, responding to the Annual Returns filed by the petitioner for the year 2024-25, has called upon the petitioner to furnish an Endorsement from the jurisdictional Police on whether the petitioner is conducting any activity such as gambling. 2. Sri R Shashidhara, the learned counsel for the petitioner, while submitting that the jurisdictional Police have begun an investigation with a FIR, has ensured that the petitioner's activities are brought to a standstill, but that cannot be a reason to refuse accepting the Annual Returns. Smt K P Yashodha, a learned Additional Government Advocate, who is called upon to accept notice for the respondents, - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:32306 WP No. 22448 of 2025 including the first respondent, is heard in the light of the grievance as also the reliance on the decision of a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the writ petition in WP No. 18318/2025 [decided on 24.07.2025]. 3. This Court must observe that the first respondent could not have avoided a decision on acceptance of the Annual Returns by insisting upon an Endorsement from the jurisdictional Police, a proposition that is reiterated by the co-ordinate Bench in the aforesaid decision. Therefore, the petition must be disposed of with just orders quashing the impugned Endorsement and observing that the first respondent must consider the Annual Returns filed without insisting on an Endorsement. 4. However, this Court must hasten to add that the outcome in this petition cannot impede any pending criminal proceedings or action that may become necessary if there is any contravention by the petitioner. The petitioner’s grievance [if any] with the - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:32306 WP No. 22448 of 2025 initiation of the criminal proceedings and the right to conduct such operations must be examined in the apt proceedings. Hence, the following: ORDER [a] The petition is allowed in part. [b] The first respondent's impugned Endorsement dated 31.05.2025 [Annexure-E] is quashed subject to the observations as aforesaid. Sd/- (B M SHYAM PRASAD) JUDGE AN/-