- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO. 34341 OF 2024 (S-RES) C/W WRIT PETITION NO. 17426 OF 2021 (S-RES) IN WP No. 34341/2024 BETWEEN: SMT. T. R. HEMAVATHI W/O RAVISHANKARA D/O RAGHURAM RAO AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS OCC: RTD. GOVERNNMENT DAILY WAGES WORKER, R/O DOOR NO 81, RMS COLONY 2ND STAGE, SANJAY NAGARA BENGALURU – 560 094 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. M. B. KULKARNI, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY CHIEF SECRETARY VIDHANA SOUDHA BENGALURU – 560 001 2. THE PRINCPAL SECRETARY SERICULTURE SECTION VIDHANA SOUDHA BENGALURU – 560 001 3. THE COMMISSIONER SERICULTURE DEPARMENT VIKAS SOUDHA BENGALURU – 560 001 Digitally signed by CHANDANA B M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 4. THE DIRECTOR SERICUTURE DEPARMENT, VIKASA SOUDHA, BENGALURU – 560 001 5. THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SERICUTLURE DEPARTMENT CHIKKABALLAPURA – 562 101 CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. REUBEN JACOB, AAG A/W SRI. G. RAMESH NAIK, AGA) THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 & 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENTS 1 TO 5 FOR REGULARIZATION OF SERVICE OF PETITIONER IN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF RESPONDENTS 4 AND 5 FROM THE DATE OF JOINING HER SERVICE DATED 07.07.1984 AS PER ANNEXURE-B TILL DATE OF HER RETIREMENT DATED 30.12.2023 AS PER ANNEXURE-L AND TO FIX HER PENSION AND OTHER CONSEQUENTIAL BENEFITS OF SERVICE LIKE, PROVIDENT FUND AND OTHER BENEFITS AND ETC., IN WP NO. 17426/2021 BETWEEN: MRS T. R. HEMAVATHI W/O. S. K. RAVISHANKAR, DAILY WAGE EMPLOYEE, SILK EXCHANGE MARKET, CUBBONPET, BENGALURU – 560 053 ...PETITIONER (BY SRI. VICTOR MANOHARAN S., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF SERICULTURE, M S BUILDING, BENGALURU – 560 001 2. THE COMMISSIONER AND DIRECTOR OF SERICULURE, 5TH FLOOR, M S BUILDING, BENGALURU – 560 001 - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 3. THE SILK EXCHANGE MARKED BOARD, TECHNICAL SERVICE CENTRE, 5TH FLOOR, M.S. BUILDING, BENGALURU – 560 001 ...RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. REUBEN JACOB, AAG A/W SRI. G. RAMESH NAIK, AGA) THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENTS TO CONSIDER THE CASE OF THE PETITIONER FOR REGULARIZATION AS D GROUP EMPLOYEE IN TERMS OF GOVERNMENT ORDER DTD 01.03.2021 ISSUED BY THE R-1 VIDE ANNX-F. THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR ORAL ORDER In W.P.No.34341/2024, petitioner seeks the following reliefs: “a) To issue writ of mandamus directing the Respondents 1 to 5 for regularization of service of Petitioner in Government Department of Respondents 4 and 5 from the date of joining her service dated 07-07-1984 as per Annexure-B till date of her retirement dated 30-12-2023 as per Annexure-L and to fix her pension and other consequential benefits of service like, Provident Fund and other benefits. b) To direct the Respondents No.1 to 5 to pay the back interest on the service benefits of arrears of her service amount from 07-07-1984 till date of actual - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 payment of amount i.e., till realization of the order of this Hon’ble Court. c) To grant such other reliefs which are deemed fit to be granted to the Petitioner in the facts and circumstances of the case on hand. d) Permission may be granted to amend the petition as and when necessary in the interest of justice and equity.” In W.P.No.17426/2021, petitioner seeks the following reliefs: “a) Issue a writ in the nature of mandamus, order or direction, directing the respondents to consider the case of the petitioner for regularization as ‘D’ Group employee in terms of Government Order dated 01.03.2021 issued by the 1st respondent produced at Annexure-F. b) Issue such other writ order or direction as this Hon’ble Court deems fit and proper in the facts of the case by allowing this writ petition in the interest of justice.” 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned AAG along with learned AGA for respondents and perused the material on record. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 3. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that it is a grievance of the petitioner that she worked as a D Group Employee in the Sericulture Department of the respondent from 1984 to 2023 for almost 40 years despite which the respondents did not take any steps to regularise the services of the petitioner, who is before this Court by way of the present petition. 4. In support of her contentions, she places reliance upon the Government Order at Annexure-F dated 01.03.2021 produced in W.P.No.17426/2021 as well as the judgment of the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Shantalakshmi Vs State of Karnataka and Ors – W.P.No.40204/2012 c/w W.P.No.54553/2014 dated 22.07.2024 in relation to an employee of the Sericulture Department and also the following judgments: i) State of Karnataka v. Shashikala - WA No.5679-80/2000 in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 01.07.2002 ii) State of Karnataka v. Chandrashekarappa -WP No. 43246 - 43294 /2002 in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 14.01.2003 iii) Purnendu Mukhopadhyay Vs V K Kapoor - 2008 (14) SCC 403 - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 iv) State of Karnataka v. K Bhagyalaksmi & Ors - WP No. 15716/2013 dated 29.10.2013 v) Nihal Singh Vs State of Punjab - 2013 (14) SCC 65 vi) Malathi Das & Ors. Vs. Suresh & Ors. Vs. Suresh & Ors. Civil Appeal No. 3338/2014 vii) Vinod Kumar Vs Union of India - SLP No. 22241-42/2016 viii) Jivanalal Vs Pravin Krishna - 2016 (15) SCC 747 ix) Dharam Singh and others Vs State Of U.P and Anr. Civil Appeal No(S). 8558 of 2018 x) Ravi Verma Vs Union of India - CA No. 2795-2796/2018 xi) Sheo Narain Nagar Vs State of Uttar Pradesh - 2018 (13) SCC 432 xii) Narendra Kumar Tiwari Vs State of Karnataka - 2018 (8) SCC 238 xiii) State of Karnataka Vs Khatoonbi - WP No. 107600/2017 in the High Court of Karnataka at Dharwad Bench dated 27.03.2019 xiv) State of Karnataka Vs Vijayamma - WA No. 4282/2012 in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 30.10.2019 xv) State of Karnataka Vs Revanna S - CA No. 5292/2019 xvi) Raman Kumar Vs Union of India - SLP No. 7898/2020 xvii) Joint Director of Agricultural v. Shankremma & Anr - WA No. 200005/2021 in the High Court of Karnataka at Kalburgi Bench dated 03.01.2022 - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 xviii) Kuberappa Vs State of Karnataka & Ors - WP No. 107934/2017 in the High Court of Karnataka at Dharwad Bench dated 10.11.2022 xix) Dr. Sunitha N Vs Bangalore University Gnanabharathi and another -WP NO. 25103/2015(S-REG) dated 25.11.2022 xx) G Sandhya and others Vs State of Karnataka and others -WP NO. 19344/2024 C/w Premakumar M and others Vs State of Karnataka and others - WP No. 49497/2014 dated 16.05.2023 xxi) State of Karnataka Vs Mayanna Gowda - WP No. 8700/2021 dated 24.08.2023 xxii) State of Karnataka Vs Ashok Kumar - WP No. 201525/2023 dated 01.09.2023 xxiii) Om Prakash Banerjee Vs State of West Bengal reported in 2023 INSC 567 xxiv) Smt. Shanthalakshmi Vs State of Karnataka and others - WP No.40204/2012 (S-REG) C/w Sri. M Narayanaswamy and others Vs State of Karnataka and others - WP No.54553/2014 dated 22.07.2024 xxv) State of Madhya Pradesh Vs Shyam Kumar Yadav - SLP No. 26509/2018 dated 22.07.2024 xxvi) Mrs. Jayanti & Ors. V. The State of Karnataka & Ors.- WP No.7441/2021 (S-REG) in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 15.10.2024 - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 xxvii) KM Shivagangamma Vs State of Karnataka & Ors - WP No. 201640/2016 in the High Court of Karnataka at Kalburgi Bench dated 22.10.2024 xxviii) Jaggo Vs UOI and others 2024 SCC Online SC 3826 xxix) Nagendra SG Vs KC Veeranna - CA No. 5586/2024 xxx) Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd Vs Brajrajnagar Coal Mines Worker's Union 2024 INSC 199 xxxi) Rajkaan Singh Vs Union of India 2024 INSC 621 xxxii) Bhola Nath Vs The State of Jharkhand & Ors - SLP(C)No. 30762 of 2024 xxxiii) Sri. Venkataraju V Vs. State of Karnataka and Others – WP. No. 4268/2022 (S-KSAT) In the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 10.03.2025 xxxiv) P. Junjappa Vs The principal Cheif Conservator of Forests & Ors -WP No. 6238/2020(S-KSAT) C/W WP No. 48123/2019(S-KAT) in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 17.03.2025 xxxv) N Ashok Vs State of Karnataka - WP No. 3552/2024 in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 20.03.2025 xxxvi) State of Karnataka & Ors. v. Ningappa Gudagi - WA No. 1180/2024 dated 24.03.2025 xxxvii) Somashekara & Ors. V. State of Karnataka & Anr - WP No. 988/2019 in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 25.03.2025 - 9 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 xxxviii) Mahabaleshwar & Anr Vs State of Karnataka & Ors - WP No. 18058/2025 (S-KSAT) In the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 28.04.2025 xxxix) Lakshmana Vs State of Karnataka & - WP No. 26016/2024 (S- KSAT) in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 29.04.2025 xl) Thyagaraju v. State of Karnataka & Anr -WP No. 3805/2023 dated 14.07.2025 xli) State of Karnataka & Ors Vs K Dodda Arasaiah & Anr - WA No. 1882/2024 in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 27.11.2025 xlii) Sharanayya Swamy Vs State of Karnataka & Ors - WP No. 100911/2022 in the High Court of Karnataka at Dharwad Bench dated 02.12.2025 xliii) The Registrar & Ors. Vs Chikkanna & Ors. WA No. 705/2024 C/W CCC No.626/2024 ,WA No. 629/2024,WA No. 711 of 2024 ,WA No. 742/2024 in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 16.12.2025 xliv) Ramesh R Vs State of Karnataka Anr. - WP No. 25892/2024 In the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 16.12.2025 xlv) Shripal Vs Nagar Nigam, Ghaziabad 2025 INSC 144 xlvi) State of Karnataka & Ors Vs N Ashok SLP Diary No. 69711/2025 xlvii) Mahendra Prasad Agarwal v. Aravind Kumar Singh SLap 17141/2025 - 10 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 xlviii) Chandrappa Vs. State of Karnataka and Others – WP. No. 10973/2023 In the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 03.04.2025 xlix) Nabisab V. The State of Karnataka & Ors. - WA No. 200160/2025 (S-REG) in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 30.01.2026 l) State of Karnataka Vs Somashekara & Ors. - WA No. 1072/2025 in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 20.02.2026 li) Saraswati Vs Rashmi Mahesh & ors. - CCC No. 200302 C/W WA No. 200331/2025 in the High Court of Karnataka at Kalburgi Bench dated 25.02.2026 lii) The State of Karnataka & Ors v. Smt. Lakshmi Devi - WP No. 37850/2025 (S-KSAT) in High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 11.03.2026 liii) State of Karnataka & Ors Vs Mahabaleshwar & ANR -SLP Diary No. 11476/2026 dated 08.04.2026 liv) Pawan Kumar and others Vs Union of India and others - 2026 SCC Online SC 200 lv) Mahendra Prasad Agarwal V. Aravind Kumar Singh & Ors. -2026 INSC 175 lvi) Abhishek Sharma Vs State of JK 2026 INSC 220 lvii) Smt. T. Meenakshi & Ors. Vs. State of Karnataka and Others – WP. No. 29102/2024 (S-RES) in High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dated 03.02.2026 - 11 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 lviii) Satish Mangesh Chandavar vs. The State of Karnataka and Others – WP. No. 104676/2023 (S-KAT) dated 27.03.2026 5. Per contra, learned AAG on instructions submits that if reasonable time is granted, respondents would consider the claim of the petitioners for regularization in accordance with law and take appropriate decision in accordance with law. 6. In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances, I deem it just and appropriate to dispose of this petition directing the respondents to consider the claim of the petitioners for regularisation by bearing in mind the aforesaid Government Order dated 01.03.2021 at Annexure-F produced in W.P.No.17426/2021 and the judgments referred to above in accordance with law within a period of two months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. 7. In addition thereto, liberty is reserved in favour of the petitioners to submit a fresh/new representation along with relevant documents, judgments etc. which shall be considered by the respondents in accordance with law. - 12 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23349 WP No. 34341 of 2024 C/W WP No. 17426 of 2021 8. Subject to the aforesaid directions and liberty, petition stands disposed of. Sd/- (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE MDS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 23