- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30725 WP No. 21414 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 22ND DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD WRIT PETITION NO. 21414 OF 2025 (LB-BMP) BETWEEN: 1. SRI V MUNIRAJU S/O. VENKATAPPA.S. AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS, R/AT NO.4444, 'APPA AMMA NILAYA' FLOOR MILL ROAD, BEHIND RAJESHWARI THEATRE, KONENA AGRAHARA, BENGALURU-560017. 2. SRI. V. BALARAJU, S/O. S. VENKATAPPA, R/AT NO.7, KARIYAMMANA AGRAHARA, BELLANDUR, BENGALURU-560103. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. RAJU S.., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE COMMISSIONER BRUHAT BENGALURU MAHANAGARA PALIKE, N.R. SQUARE, BENGALURU-560002. Digitally signed by VANAMALA N Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30725 WP No. 21414 of 2025 2. THE ASSISTANT REVENUE OFFICER WHITEFIELD SUB-DIVISION, BRUHAT BENGALURU MAHANAGARA PALIKE, RAMAGONDANAHALLI, BENGALURU-560066. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. MALLIKARJUN REDDY K S., ADVOCATE FOR R1 AND R2) THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE ENDORSEMENT BEARING NO. S.K.A/W.F/U.V/PR//2025-26 DATED 11.07.2025 AS PER ANNX-E; DIRECT THE R-2 TO ISSUANCE OF E- KHATA IN FAVOUR OF THE PETITIONERS IN RESPECT OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY WITHOUT INSISTING FOR PAYMENT OF INTEREST ON THE BETTERMENT CHARGES. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30725 WP No. 21414 of 2025 ORAL ORDER The petitioner has been served with the Endorsement dated 11.07.2025 [Annexure-E], and the petitioner is informed that he must offer certain amounts as betterment charges and interest. The petitioner contends that this is in response to an application for e-Katha and relies upon the orders of this Court dated 20.12.2023 in the writ petition in W.P. No.28654/2023 and similar matters to impugn these demands. Sri S Raju, the learned counsel for the petitioner, has filed a memo for disposal which reads as under. "The Petitioner in the above case humbly submits as follows:- The above Writ Petition has been filed challenging the endorsement at Annexure-E and seeking a direction to the Respondents to issue an e-Khata in favour of the Petitioner in respect of the petition schedule property. The Petitioner submitted an online application for issuance of a digital e-Khata on 25.03.2025 in respect of the petition schedule - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30725 WP No. 21414 of 2025 property. A copy of the acknowledgement bearing No. K1489015 is produced herewith for the kind perusal of this Hon'ble Court. The issue involved in the present writ petition is squarely covered by the judgment reported in SCC OnLine Kar 3559. Subsequently, this Hon'ble Court has also disposed of several similar writ petitions following the said judgment. By way of illustration, reliance is placed on the orders passed in W.P. No. 28654/2023 and W.P. No. 14446/2024 (Annexures-F and G respectively). In the above circumstances, the Petitioner respectfully prays that this Hon'ble Court may be pleased to dispose of the present writ petition in terms of the orders passed in the aforesaid cases and grant such other reliefs as this Hon'ble Court deems fit in the facts and circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice and equity." 2. This Court in the aforesaid writ petition has referred to an earlier decision in ‘S R Constructions Partner M/s. S R Constructions v. State of Karnataka, Department of Housing and Urban - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30725 WP No. 21414 of 2025 Development and Others’1, observing that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, [now Greater Bengaluru Authority], cannot insist on payment of betterment charges as a precondition for issuance of e-Katha. On behalf of the respondents, it is pointed out that the Endorsement does not refer to e-Katha and in fact, the petitioner's application for e-Katha is subsequent to the Endorsement dated 11.07.2025. Be these as it may, the Authorities will have to consider the petitioner's application for issuance of e- Katha in the light of the afore with liberty to the Authorities to recover betterment charges as would be permissible in law. Hence, the following: ORDER [a] The petition stands disposed of, and the impugned Endorsement dated 11.07.2025 [Annexure-E] stands quashed. 1 [2013] 3 KLJ 588 - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30725 WP No. 21414 of 2025 [b] The Memo for Disposal dated 05.06.2026 is accepted directing the second respondent to issue e-Katha to the petitioner in terms of the application already filed, within an outer limit of two [2] months from today and without prejudice to the authorities to recover betterment charges in accordance with law. Sd/- (B M SHYAM PRASAD) JUDGE AN/-