- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10281 WP No. 3971 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS WRIT PETITION NO.3971 OF 2026 (KLR-RES) BETWEEN: SMT. VENKATALAKSMAMMA W/O HANUMAIAH AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, RESIDING AT VAJARAHALLI RAMANAGARA, TALUK AND DISTRICT 562 109. …PETITIONER (BY SMT. GEETHA A., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY REVENUE DEPARTMENT, M.S BUILDING, BANGALORE-560 001. 2. THE TAHSILDAR RAMANAGARA TALUK, RAMANAGARA DISTRICT - 562 159. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. NAVYA SHEKHAR, AGA) THIS WP IS FILED ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE ENDORSEMENT BEARING NO.LND/CR/413/2025 DATED 09/10/2025 VIDE ANNEXURE-G, ISSUED BY RESPONDENT NO.2 TO THE WRIT PETITION, AND BY CONSIDERING THE REPRESENTATION DATED 17/09/2024 VIDE ANNEXURE-C. SAGUVALI CHIT MAY BE ISSUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW AND ETC. Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10281 WP No. 3971 of 2026 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS ORAL ORDER Learned Additional Government Advocate takes notice for both the respondents. 2. Learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that earlier the petitioner was before this Court in W.P.No.4946/2025 and this Court by order dated 06.08.2025, disposed of the writ petition with a specific direction to respondent No.2-Tahsildar, Ramanagara Taluk to place the application of the petitioner before the ‘Committee for Regularization of Unauthorized Occupation’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’). The Committee was thereafter directed to consider the application and pass the necessary orders within a period of three months. However, the Tahsildar has now issued the impugned endorsement dated 09.10.2025 at Annexure–G, rejecting the application on the ground that the lands in question are within the prohibited distance of 18 k.m., from the boundary of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP). - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10281 WP No. 3971 of 2026 3. Learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that Annexure-B is the sketch along with the list of applicants, who occupied various extents of lands, wherein the name of the petitioner is found at serial No.9. The learned Counsel would further submit that the application was filed on 03.07.1991 and at that point of time the land in question was not within the prohibited distance of 18 k.m., from the boundary of the BBMP. This aspect of the matter was also not brought to the notice of this Court when the previous writ petition was filed. 4. Learned Counsel for the petitioner further submits that this Court has held in several such cases, including the case of Sri.Ravikumar and Another Vs. The State of Karnataka and Others, in W.P.No.237/2022 dated 17.01.2024, as to the manner in which the distance has to be measured. The learned counsel prays for similar orders. 5. This Court has held, having regard to the earlier decisions in the case of Sri.Ravikumar and Another (supra), as follows: "5. Having heard the learned counsel for the petitioners, learned High Court Government Pleader for the respondent-State and the Revenue Authorities and on perusing the petition - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10281 WP No. 3971 of 2026 papers, this Court is of the considered opinion that the law as to the consideration of the distance having regard to the date of the application has been settled by this Court. Therefore, all that is required to be done now at the hands of the respondent - Tahsildar is to find out the distance between the land in question and the boundary of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike as on the date of the application. Learned counsel had submitted during the course of the arguments that it appears that the boundaries of then Bangalore Mahanagara Palike were extended in the year 2007 by a notification. If that is the truth, then the Tahsildar is required to re-ascertain regarding the distance between the land in question and boundary of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike as it was prior to 2007, if such a notification was issued and the boundaries of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike were extended in the year 2007. At any rate in terms of the law laid down by this Court in the case of Sri.Ashwathappa and others Vs. The State of Karnataka and others, in W.P.No.2411/2022 dated 18.02.2022, the distance has to be measured as per the geographical jurisdiction of local body as it was on the date of the application filed by the petitioners. 6. For that purpose, the writ petition is partly allowed while setting aside the impugned order dated 07.03.2018 passed by the Assistant Commissioner and all other earlier orders passed by the Tahsildar. The matter stands remanded to the Tahsildar, Hosakote with a specific direction that he shall decide as to what was the distance between the land in question and the boundary of then Bangalore Mahanagara Palike as it was as on the date of application i.e., in the year 1998. If it is clear that the land in question was not within the prohibited distance having regard to - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10281 WP No. 3971 of 2026 the boundaries of then Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, then the Tahsildar shall immediately proceed to issue Saguvali Chit in favour of the petitioners. The entire exercise shall be completed as expeditiously as possible at any rate within a period of two months from the date of receipt of copy of this order." 6. Consequently, the writ petition stands disposed of. The impugned endorsement dated 09.10.2025 at Annexure-G issued by respondent No.2 - Tahsildar, Ramanagara Taluk, is hereby quashed and set aside. The matter stands remanded back to respondent No.2 - Tahsildar, with a specific direction that he shall decide as to what was the distance between the land in question and the boundary of the then Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) as it was as on the date of application i.e., 03.07.1991. If it is clear that the land in question was not within the prohibited distance having regard to the boundaries of the then Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP), then the Tahsildar shall place the report and application filed by the petitioner in Form No.53 before the Committee, the Committee shall consider the application of the petitioner and proceed to pass necessary orders in favour of the petitioner. For that purpose, the Tahsildar shall find out whether grants have been - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10281 WP No. 3971 of 2026 made earlier in the same survey number or in the same vicinity. If grants are found to be made earlier, then the application cannot be rejected on the said ground. The entire exercise shall be completed as expeditiously as possible at any rate within a period of three months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. 7. Learned Additional Government Advocate is permitted to file memo of appearance within a period of four weeks from today. Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE GPG List No.: 1 Sl No.: 30