- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:28249-DB CCC No. 1122 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 11TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 1122 OF 2025 BETWEEN: 1. SRI MANJUNATH SABALLI S/O ANNAPPA SABALLI AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS RELIVED AS JAWANA GROUP-D EMPLOYEE AT BACK WARD CLASSES WELFARE DEVELOPMENT HARIHARA, 4TH MAIN ROAD J.C. EXTENSION, D.R.M. PU COLLEGE GROUND HARIHARA, DAVANAGERE DISTRICT - 577 002 R/O MUTHIGE, NICHANPURA POST HARAPANAHALLI TALUK VIJAYANAGAR DISTRICT - 577 512 …COMPLAINANT (BY SRI RAVINDRA V.S., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. SMT. ASMA BANU TALUK BACK WARD WELFARE OFFICE Digitally signed by K P SWETHA Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:28249-DB CCC No. 1122 of 2025 TALUK BACK WARD CLASSES WELFARE DEPARTMENT 4TH MAIN, J.C. BADAVANE OPP. DRM PU COLLEGE HARIHARA - 577 601 …ACCUSED 2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF BACK WARD CLASS WELFARE DR. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI VIDHANA SOUDHA BENGALURU - 560 001 …PRO FORMA RESPONDENT (BY SMT. B. SUKANYA BALIGA, AGA) THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, 1971 PRAYING TO INITIATE APPROPRIATE ACITON AGAINST THE ACCUSED FOR COMMITTING CONTEMPT OF THE ORDERS OF THIS HON'BLE COURT PASSED IN W.P.NO.6471/2025 DATED 06.03.2025 MARKED AS ANNEXURE-A AND PUNISH ACCUSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:28249-DB CCC No. 1122 of 2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE) 1. The complainant has filed the present complaint alleging willful disobedience of the interim order dated 06.03.2025 passed by the learned Single Judge of this Court in W.P.No.6471/2025 (S-RES). It was subsequently, extended by an order dated 06.08.2025 for a further period of two weeks from date. 2. The complainant had filed the said petition essentially seeking regularization. The respondents objected to the maintainability of the said petition on the strength of the decision of the Supreme Court in L. Chandra Kumar v. Union of India and Others1. 3. The learned Single Judge, at the initial stage granted an interim order directing that the services of the complainant as a Group-D employee at the Backward Class Welfare Department, Harihara would not be disturbed till the next date of hearing and the 1 (1997) 3 SCC 261 - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:28249-DB CCC No. 1122 of 2025 petition was listed on 22.03.2025. The said order was also extended. Subsequently, by an order dated 06.08.2025, the learned Single Judge accepted the respondent's objection regarding maintainability and disposed of the writ petition while reserving liberty to the complainant to approach the appropriate legal forum. The court also directed that all contentions of the parties are left open. The court also extended the interim order dated 06.03.2025 by a further period of two weeks which would expire on 20.08.2025. However, the accused discontinued the services of the complainant on 31.07.2025 on the ground that the term had ended. 4. The learned counsel for the accused has unreservedly, accepted that the interim order dated 06.03.2025, the disobedience of which is alleged, was not complied. He submits that the same was on the bonafide belief that the complainant's services would come to an end on expiry of his term. The accused has also filed an affidavit tendering an unqualified apology. 5. The learned counsel for the complainant submits that the complainant has a good case on merits and is entitled to be regularized. He submits that after the services of the complainant - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:28249-DB CCC No. 1122 of 2025 were discontinued, another Group-D employee had been engaged on a contractual basis. However, he concedes that the interim order extended by the learned Single Judge on 06.08.2025 was not extended by the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal. Thus, in any event the complainant's services could have been discontinued on expiry of the interim order, that is, on 20.08.2025. 6. In the given circumstances, we accept the apology and close the complaint. We, however, clarify that this order would not preclude the complainant from pursuing the relief as advised before the appropriate forum. Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (K.S. HEMALEKHA) JUDGE KPS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 11