- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010530162024 NC: 2026:KHC:36989-DB WP No. 25168 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 20TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T.M.NADAF WRIT PETITION NO. 25168 OF 2024 (KLGP) BETWEEN: 1. SMT. KISANPYARI, W/O. GIRIDHARLAL TOSHNIWAL, AGED ABOUT 71 YEARS, R/AT. TIKOTA TAUK, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT - 586 130. 2. SRI. MAHESH, S/O. GIRIDHARLAL TOSHNIWAL, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/AT. TIKOTA TALUK, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT - 586 130. 3. SMT. NILAM, W/O LATE MANOJ TOSHNIWAL, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, R/AT. TIKOTA TALUK, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT - 586 130. 4. MISS. PALAK, D/O LATE MANOJ TOSHNIWAL, AGED ABOUT 17 YEARS, R/AT. TIKOTA TALUK, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT - 586 130. REPRESENTED BY HER MOTHER AS NATURAL GUARDIAN SMT. NILAM MANOJ TOSHNIWAL. 5. MISS. MADURA, D/O LATE MANOJ TOSHNIWAL, Digitally signed by REKHA R Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010530162024 NC: 2026:KHC:36989-DB WP No. 25168 of 2024 AGED ABOUT 14 YEARS, R/AT. TIKOTA TALUK, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT - 586 130. REPRESENTED BY HER MOTHER AS NATURAL GUARDIAN SMT. NILAM MANOJ TOSHNIWAL. 6. SRI.MUKESH, S/O. GIRIDHARLAL TOSHNIWAL, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, R/AT. TIKOTA TALUK, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT - 586 130. 7. SMT. MANISHA, W/O. SUNIL RATHI, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, R/AT. MATOSHREE VRUDRASHARAM BACK SIDE, KARVE NAGAR, PUNE - 411 052. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. MADHUKAR M. DESHPANDE., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT, VIJAYAPURA - 586 101. 2. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, VIJAYAPURA, KANAKADASA BADAVANE, VIJAYAPURA - 586 101. 3. THE TAHASILDAR, VIJAYAPURA TALUK, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT - 586 101. 4. THE FIRST GRADE REVENUE INSPECTOR, TIKOTA CIRCLE, TIKOTA TALUK, VIJAYPURA - 586 130. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. B. RAVINDRANATH, AGA) - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010530162024 NC: 2026:KHC:36989-DB WP No. 25168 of 2024 THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, 1950, PRAYING TO ISSUE WRIT OF CERTIORARI OR SET ASIDE THE ENTIRE PROCEEDINGS IN L.G.C(T) NO.1733/2017 (O.S.668/2013) PENDING ON THE FILE OF KARNATAKA LAND GRABBING PROHIBITION SPECIAL COURT AT BENGALURU (CCH-2) (ANNEXURE-A) AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T.M.NADAF ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH) The present writ petition has been filed challenging the proceedings pending before the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Special Court, Bengaluru in L.G.C(T) No.1733/2017 (OS.No.668/2013). 2. The petitioners have also challenged the order dated 16.11.2023 passed by the Land Grabbing Court in the aforesaid proceedings, whereby the application of the petitioners for remitting the matter back to the civil suit has been rejected. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010530162024 NC: 2026:KHC:36989-DB WP No. 25168 of 2024 3. Admittedly, the petitioners have filed the original civil suit in OS.No.668/2013 for declaration and injunction etc., in respect of the Government land in Sy.No.241 measuring 2 acres 1 guntas of land situated at Tikota Village, Bijapur Taluk, Bijapur District. The petitioners are neither the grantee nor the lessee nor the licensee of the said land, given by the Government. No order has been placed on record to substantiate the petitioner's right to be in possession of the said land. Admittedly, it is a Government land. The long continuation of possession in the Government land would not entitle the petitioners to seek a decree of declaration inasmuch as no right over the Government land can be claimed on the basis of the adverse possession. 4. In the written statement filed by the revenue authorities before the Civil Court, it has been specifically stated that the land in question is a Government land and the petitioners/plaintiffs are in an unauthorized occupation and possession of the said land. If one reads the definition - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010530162024 NC: 2026:KHC:36989-DB WP No. 25168 of 2024 of land and land grabber as provided under Section 2(e) and 2(f) of the Karnataka Land Grabbing and Prohibition Act 2011, it is evident that the petitioner would come within the definition of the 'land grabber'. Section 20(1) of the Karnataka Land Grabbing and Prohibition Act, specifically provides that all proceedings pending in respect of the Government land where there are allegations of Land Grabbing, the proceedings would stand transferred to the Karnataka Land Grabbing Court. Therefore, the proceedings were transferred way back in the year 2017. 5. We find no substance in this writ petition inasmuch as admittedly the land in question is a Government land and the stand of the Government is unequivocal that the petitioners are in unauthorized occupation and possession of the Government land. Under the definition of Section 2(e) of the Karnataka land grabbing prohibition act, the petitioners would be treated as land grabber. - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010530162024 NC: 2026:KHC:36989-DB WP No. 25168 of 2024 6. We therefore, dismiss this writ petition. Let the Karnataka Land Grabbing Court proceeds with the trial and decides the same expeditiously in accordance with law. Any observations made herein above shall not be treated as final findings on the merits of the case, insofar as the offence allegedly committed by the petitioners is concerned. Sd/- (D K SINGH) JUDGE Sd/- (T.M.NADAF) JUDGE PK List No.: 2 Sl No.: 6; ct-vn