- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:29421 WP No. 36110 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 16TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ WRIT PETITION NO. 36110 OF 2025 (GM-RES) BETWEEN: PRANAVA K N S/O NARAYANA K S, AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/@ 93/2, 1ST MAIN ROAD, KEMPEGOWDA NAGARA, BENGALURU – 560 004. …PETITIONER (BY SRI.PRANAV K.N, (PARTY-IN-PERSON) ) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, VIDHANA SOUDHA, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU – 560 001. 2. THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, 2ND FLOOR, M.S. BUILDING, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU – 560 001. 3. THE FIRST APPELLATE AUTHORITY (RTI) AND THE REGISTRAR (EVALUATION), KARNATAKA STATE LAW UNIVERSITY, Digitally signed by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:29421 WP No. 36110 of 2025 NAVANAGAR, HUBBALLI – 580 025. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. MOHAMMED JAFAR SHAH, AGA) THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA BY PARTY IN PERSON PRAYING TO QUASH THE COMMUNICATION DATED 25.11.2025 (PRODUCED AS ANNEXURE-F) ISSUED BY RESPONDENT NO. 3, WHEREBY THE PETITIONERS REQUEST FOR CONDUCTING THE FIRST APPEAL HEARING THROUGH ONLINE MODE. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ ORAL ORDER 1. The petitioner is before this Court seeking for the following reliefs: a. Issue a Writ of Certiorari or any other appropriate writ, order, or direction, quashing the communication dated 25.11.2025 (produced as Annexure-F) issued by Respondent No. 3, whereby the Petitioner's request for conducting the First Appeal hearing through online mode has not been accepted, and consequently direct Respondent No. 3 to conduct the Petitioner's pending First Appeals through online or hybrid mode - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:29421 WP No. 36110 of 2025 b. Issue a Writ of Mandamus directing Respondent No. 1 and Respondent No. 2 to ensure that all First Appellate Authorities under the RTI Act within the State provide an online or hybrid hearing option for RTI First Appeals as requested in the representation which is herein annexed as Annexure-A. dated 14/10/2025. c. Declare that the right to an online hearing in RTI First Appeals is protected under Articles 14, 19(1)(a) and 21 of the Constitution. d. Pass such other order or direction as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit in the interest of justice and equity. 2. The petitioner had made an application under the RTI Act for furnishing certain information. The same not having been furnished, the petitioner filed a first appeal before respondent No.3. The petitioner requested for providing 'online hearing’. Respondent No.3 had indicated that there was no facility for ‘online hearing’ and as such, the same could not be provided. Challenging the same, the petitioner is before this Court. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:29421 WP No. 36110 of 2025 3. Though the Hon'ble Apex Court has indicated in Kishan Chand Jain Vs. Union of India & Ors – 2023 INSC 915, that the State should endeavour to provide ‘online hearing’, there is no mandate as such. The same is a Policy Decision by the State. Considering that these are appeals relating to RTI Act and the First Appellate Authority is required to be at each Department level, at each University level as that in the present case. 4. The submission of the learned AGA that there would be lot of investment, which is required to provide such facility, requires consideration inasmuch as the infrastructure being required to be provided would involve considerable investment and expenses. To provide ‘online hearing’ being a policy decision of the respondent - University and the State of Karnataka, the above relief which has been sought for cannot be granted. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:29421 WP No. 36110 of 2025 5. Accordingly, the petition stands dismissed. Sd/- (SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE MDS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 61