- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:18341-DB WP No. 9064 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 6TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA WRIT PETITION NO. 9064 OF 2026 (GM-MM-S) BETWEEN: 1. SRI M. HABIBULLA S/O K.P. MAHAMMED ALI AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS RESIDING AT 3RD CROSS VISWESWARAYYA LAYOUT HIRIYURU TALUK CHITRADURGA - 572 143 …PETITIONER (BY SRI CHENDANDA P. SOMANNA, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES (MINES AND GEOLOGY) VIDHANA/VIKASA SOUDHA DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU - 560 001 2. THE DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY NO.49, KHANIJ BHAVAN RACE COURSE ROAD BENGALURU - 560 001 Digitally signed by VEERENDRA KUMAR K M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:18341-DB WP No. 9064 of 2026 3. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER AND CHAIRMAN DISTRICT STONE CRUSHER LICENSING AND REGULATORY AUTHORITY TUMKUR DISTRICT TUMKUR - 572 101 4. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY (PRESENTLY AT) KHANIJ BHAVAN SPOORTHI LAYOUT BADDIHALLI, TUMKUR - 572 104 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI K.S. HARISH, GOVERNMENT ADVOCATE) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION, DIRECTING RESPONDENTS No.3 AND 4, TO CONSIDER AND DISPOSE OF THE PETITIONER'S REPRESENTATION DATED 25/02/2026 (ANNEXURE-D) & ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:18341-DB WP No. 9064 of 2026 ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE) 1. Issue notice. 2. The learned Additional Government Advocate accepts notice for the respondents. 3. The petitioner has filed the present petition, inter alia, praying that directions be issued to respondent Nos.3 and 4 to consider his representation dated 25.02.2026. 4. The petitioner submitted an application dated 03.12.2013 for grant of quarrying lease for extraction of building stone over an area of 6 acres of land falling in Sy.No.84 of Kalahalli village, Sira Taluk, Tumakuru District. However, the petitioner claims that the said application was not considered. In view of the above, the petitioner was constrained to file W.P.No.57172/2018, inter alia, praying that his application for quarrying lease dated 03.12.2013 be considered. The said writ petition (W.P.No.57172/2018) was disposed of by an order dated 03.01.2019, directing respondent No.4 to consider the petitioner's application and take a final - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:18341-DB WP No. 9064 of 2026 decision in accordance with law at the earliest, preferably within 90 days from the receipt of a copy of the said order. 5. The petitioner claims that notwithstanding the unambiguous direction for consideration of his application, the same was not considered. According to the petitioner, his application is still pending. By virtue of the Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules, 2023, the pending applications are required to be considered in a time bound manner. The petitioner states that on 10.06.2025, the Government of Karnataka issued a letter to the Revenue Department directing that pending applications be disposed of within a period of 36 months from 17.03.2023. Since the petitioner's application was not disposed of, the petitioner submitted a representation dated 25.02.2026. However, the petitioner claims that the same has also not elicited any response. 6. The learned Additional Government Advocate submits that the petitioner's application must have already been considered. 7. In view of the above, we consider it apposite to dispose of the present petition by giving a final opportunity to respondent Nos.3 and 4 to consider the petitioner's application, if not already - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:18341-DB WP No. 9064 of 2026 considered and communicate its decision within a period of four weeks from date. In the event the petitioner's application has already been considered, the fate of the same would be communicated to the petitioner within a period of four weeks from date. 8. The petition is, disposed of, in the aforesaid terms. Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE KMV List No.: 2 Sl No.: 22