- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11705 WP No. 21666 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS WRIT PETITION NO. 21666 OF 2025 (KLR-LG) BETWEEN: 1. SMT. BHAGYAMMA W/O LATE RAMACHANDRA SHETTY, AGED ABOUT 71 YEARS, R/O PETE BEEDI, GORUR VILLAGE, KATTAYA HOBLI, HASSAN TALUK AND DISTRICT-573 210. 2. SRI. GURUMURTHY S/O LATE RAMACHANDRA SHETTY, AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, R/O PETE BEEDI, GORUR VILLAGE, KATTAYA HOBLI, HASSAN TALUK AND DISTRICT-573 210. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. NARENDRA GOWDA, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU-560 001. 2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, HASSAN DISTRICT, HASSAN-573 210. Digitally signed by LAKSHMI T Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11705 WP No. 21666 of 2025 3. THE ASST. COMMISSIONER, HASSAN SUB DIVISION, HASSAN-573 210. 4. THE SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER HEMAVATHI RESERVIOR PROJECT, HASSAN-573 210. 5. THE TAHSILDHAR HASSAN TALUK, HASSAN-573 210. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. V. SESHU, HCGP) THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENT TO CONSIDER THE CASE OF PETITIONERS FOR ALLOTMENT OF ALTERNATIVE LAND FOR HAVING ACQUIRED THEIR LAND FOR HEMAVATHI RESERVOIR VIDE ANNEXURE-G. 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 High Court Government Pleader takes notice for all the respondents. 2. The petitioners contend that they lost 1 Acre 17 Guntas of land in Survey No.8 of Manchanahalli Village, Kattaya Hobli, Hassan District, due to submergence of the - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11705 WP No. 21666 of 2025 lands on the establishment of the Hemavathi Reservoir Project. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the State of Karnataka announced certain beneficiary scheme and rehabilitation package for the land users in addition to the payment of compensation. One of the benefits announced for such land users was that they will be given alternative agricultural lands elsewhere in the District. The prayer made in this writ petition is to issue a writ of mandamus to the 4th respondent-Special Land Acquisition Officer, Hemavathi Reservoir Project, Hassan, to take action on the Gazette notification dated 25.09.1975 at Annexure-G given by the petitioners for grant of alternative land. 4. This Court in several such petition has found that lands were granted in terms of the rehabilitation package and thereafter several orders have been passed cancelling the grants for various reasons. Nevertheless, it - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11705 WP No. 21666 of 2025 is an undistributed fact that such rehabilitation package was indeed announced for the project displaced persons. 5. In that view of the matter, the writ petition stands disposed of with a specific direction to the 4th respondent- Special Land Acquisition Officer, Hemavathi Reservoir Project, Hassan, to consider the application given by the petitioners, verify the records and thereafter, pass necessary orders in accordance with law and in accordance with the scheme formulated by the State Government. The entire exercise shall be completed as expeditiously as possible and at any rate within a period of four months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. 6. Learned High Court Government Pleader is permitted to file memo of appearance within a period of four weeks from today. Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE HB/List No.: 1 Sl No.: 23