- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:9138 WP No. 3531 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 12TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS WRIT PETITION NO. 3531 OF 2026 (LR) BETWEEN: SRI. Y.S.KRISHNE GOWDA S/O Y.A. SHANKARAPPA, AGED ABOUT 68 YEARS, R/AT NO.VENKATALA NEAR MARUTHI TEMPLE, BENGALURU- 560 034, REPTD BY HIS GPA HOLDER SMT. ROOPAMMA W/O LATE DYAVAPPA, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, R/AT DODDAKIRUGUMBE VILLAGE, NANDI HOBLI, CHIKKABALLAPURA TALUK, PIN CODE 562 101. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. CHOKKAREDDY, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPTS BY UNDER SECRETARY REVENUE DEPARTMENT, M.S. BUILDING, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BANGALORE - 560 001 2. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER CHIKKABALLAPURA SUB- DIVISION, CHIKKABALLAPURA, PIN CODE 562 101. Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:9138 WP No. 3531 of 2026 3. TAHSILDAR CHIKKABALLAPURA TALUK, CHIKKABALLAPURA PIN CODE- 562101 …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. NAVYA SHEKHAR, AGA) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH ANNX-A ORDER PASSED BY R2 IN LRF.79AB/CR/428/2007-08, UNDATED, IN RESPECT OF SY. NO. 51/P5 MEASURING 1 ACRES 36 GUNTAS, SITUATED AT DODDAKIRUGUMBE VILLAGE, NANDI HOBLI, CHIKKABALLAURA TALUK, BY ALLOWING THE WRIT PETITION. 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 Advocates takes notice for all the respondents. 2. This writ petition has been filed aggrieved by the order passed by the Assistant Commissioner in proceedings bearing No.LRF.79AB/CR/428/2007-08 at Annexure-A. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that this is a case where the impugned order of forfeiture has - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:9138 WP No. 3531 of 2026 been passed by the Assistant Commissioner without notice to the petitioner. It is further submitted that under similar circumstances, a co-ordinate Bench of this Court in W.P.No.7821/2021 has passed an order dated 16.08.2021 remanding the matter back to the Assistant Commissioner for fresh consideration after affording an opportunity of hearing to the aggrieved person. Though order is not stated in the impugned order at Annexure-A, nevertheless it is clear that the matter was reserved for orders on 25.04.2015. 4. Learned High Court Government Pleader points out from the impugned order that notice was indeed issued to the petitioner and in spite of notice having been issued, the petitioner did not appear before the Assistant Commissioner. 5. Admittedly, as on the date of the Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, no proceedings were pending before any Court/authority. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:9138 WP No. 3531 of 2026 6. This Court had several occasions to consider such cases, where writ petitions are filed long after the provisions contained in Sections 79A, 79B and 79C were omitted from the statute book in terms of the Karnataka Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Act, 2020. It is the consistent opinion of this Court that if at any rate, the Assistant Commissioner, after forfeiting the land has not disposed of the same in accordance with law then the benefit of the saving clause contained in Section 12 of the Amending Act is required to be given to such petitioner. The Assistant Commissioner is therefore, required to ascertain, whether the declared excess lands or forfeited lands still remain with the State Government or has been granted to third parties. If the lands have been granted to third party, then sub-section(1) of Section 12 of the amending Act will apply to say that the proceedings have reached finality. Or otherwise, sub-section (2) of Section 12 of the Amending Act will apply and all further - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:9138 WP No. 3531 of 2026 proceedings shall be declared as abated by the Assistant Commissioner. 7. Having considered the submission of the learned Counsels and on perusing the judgment of the co-ordinate Bench in W.P.No.7821/2021, this Court finds that facts and circumstances in both these matters are quite similar and therefore, the benefit of the decision of the Co- ordinate Bench should also enure to the petitioner herein. 8. Accordingly, this Court proceeds to pass the following: ORDER i) The writ petition is disposed of. ii) The matter is remanded back to the respondent-Assistant Commissioner to consider the case of the petitioner including the consequences of the subsequent amendment brought to the provisions of Sections 79-A and 79-B of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act in Karnataka Amendment No.56 of 2020. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:9138 WP No. 3531 of 2026 iii) If revenue entries have been altered pursuant to the impugned order, the same shall be restored in favour of the petitioner. iv) The petitioner shall appear before the respondent-Assistant Commissioner on 06.03.2026, without waiting for further notice from the Assistant Commissioner. Ordered accordingly. 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.: 19