- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 15TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI WRIT PETITION NO. 10677 OF 2026 (EDN-RES) C/W WRIT PETITION NO. 11855 OF 2026 (EDN-RES) IN WP No. 10677/2026 BETWEEN: 1. CHALUVARAJU. B. H. S/O HUCHAIAH AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS, R/AT NO. 16, BILLARAMANAHALLI, KRISHNARAJAPETE, MANDYA DISTRICT-571426. 2. VIJAYAKUMAR CHALAWADI S/O HASANAPPA CHALAWADI AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS, R/AT HALLUR VILLAGE, MUDDEBIHAL THALUK, VIJAYAPUR DISTRICT – 586116 3. SANTHOSH S/O ARJUN AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS, R/AT NO.117, ALAND ROAD, Digitally signed by SHILPABAI S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 JAI NHEEM NAGAR, KERIBHOSGA, VTC SYED CHINCHOLI PO SYED CHINCHOLI, SUB DISTRICT AFZALPUR, GULBARGA DISTRICT - 585104. 4. MEGHANA M D/O MUNIRAJU AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS R/AT NO.97, OPP PILLEKAMMA TEMPLE, ARALI MARADA ROAD, AMRUTHAHALLI, SAHAKAR NAGAR POST, BANGALORE NORTH - 560092. 5. NANDAN H V S/O VENKATASWAMY AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/AT NO. 161, HANDENAHALLI VILLAGE AND POST, SARJAPURA HOBLI, ANEKAL THALUK, BANGLORE URBAN DISTRICT - 562125. 6. KANAKARAJA C S/O KADAPPA C AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS. R/AT 1 WARD, ANJANADRI NILAYA. UJJINI POST. KOTTUR YALUK, VIJAYANAGARA DISTRICT - 583136. 7. HARISH N K S/O KRISHNAPPA AGED ABOUT 23 YEARS R/AT NELAVAGILU VILLAGE AND POST, HOSAKOTE TALUK, BANGALORE RURAL DISTRICT – 562122 - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 8. MADHUSHREE K D/O KALAIAH AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS R/AT PRASADNAGARA, MAGADI TALUK, RAMANAGARA DISTRICT – 562131 9. SOUMYASHREE D/O MANJUNATHA. AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS. R/AT NO. 1/340, GARAGADDE - KALAVARA SALVADI POST, KUNDAPURA TALUK UDUPI DISTRICT - 576222. 10. YASHAVANTHA D S S/O SHIVAPPA AGED ABOUT-31 YEARS, R/AT DINNEKERE VILLAGE, UDEVARA POST SAKLESHPURA TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573134 11. NIVEDITHA V W/O PARAMESHA N B AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS R/AT 500, 30TH CROSS, D BLOCK, JP NAGAR, MYSORE – 570008 12. YALLAMMA HANCHANAL W/O DINESH GAYAKAWAD AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, R/AT GANDHICHOWK POLICE QUARTERS, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT – 586101 13. TRIVENI W/O ARUNKUMAR. AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS. R/AT PLOT NO 411, SANCHI FIRST FLOOR, TILAK NAGAR KUSNOOR ROAD, KALBURGI TALUK, KALBURGI DISTRICT - 585105 - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 14. SHWETHA M D/O MUNINANJAPPA AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS, R/AT 35 8TH CROSS, MARIYAMMAGUDI STREET, VASANTHANAGAR, BANGALORE - 560052. 15. DEEPAK D S/O DAS A AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, R/AT 202, 2ND FLOOR, 60 KRISHALAXI GRIHA COXTOWN JEEVANAHALLI, BANGALORE-560005. 16. REKHA GANIHAR D/O BHASKARAPPA GANIHAR AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS, R/AT BEHIND GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL SINDAGI, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT – 586128 17. M SOUMYA SHREE LATE. T. M. MARIDEVARU AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS R/AT NO. 1799, EWS 3RD PHASE, NEAR GANESHA TEMPLE, YELAHANKA NEWTOWN, BANGALORE - 560064. 18. PARAMESHA N B S/O BALARAM AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS R/AT NO.12, NETTEKERE, HASSAN, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573115 19. HANUMATHA S/O BHEEMANNA AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 R/AT GUGEBALA VILLAGE, KOWTHAL POST, MASKI TALUK, RAICHUR DISTRICT – 584120 20. TEJASWINI. T D/O THIMMARAJU AGED ABOUT 24 YEARS R/AT VADDARA KOPPALU VILLAGE MALIYURU POST, BANNURU HOBALI, NARASIPURA TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571101 …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. K RAVISHANKAR., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU-560 001 2. THE KARNATAKA EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY (KEA), REP. BY ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MALLESWARAM 18TH CROSS, BENGALURU-560 012. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI RAO, HCGP FOR R1 SRI. N K RAMESH, ADVOCATE FOR R2 (VK NOT FILED)) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO I. ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE 2ND RESPONDENT TO ISSUE KARNATAKA STATE ELIGIBILITY TEST CERTIFICATE (KSET) FOR THE EXAMINATION CONDUCTED AS - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 PER THE NOTIFICATION DATED 22/08/2025 BEARING NO.ED/KEA/KESET/2025 PRODUCED VIDE ANNEXURE ‘A’ TO THE WRIT PETITION AND, II) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO CONSIDER THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PETITIONERS DATED 16/03/2026, 17/03/2026, 02/11/2025, 25/03/2026, 23/03/2026, 24/11/2025 PRODUCED VIDE ANNEXURE ‘H’ TO ‘H18’ TO THE WRIT PETITION AND ISSUE KSET CERTIFICATE AND III. ISSUE A WRIT OF DECLARATION AND DECLARE THAT THE DENIAL OF THE KSET CERTIFICATES TO THE PETITIONERS BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT ARE ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATORY AND VIOLATE OF ARTICLE 14 AND 16 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA AND, IV) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE 2ND RESPONDENT TO RE CALL AND REDO THE SUBJECT WISE LIST OF SC-A, SC-B AND SC-C AS PER APPENDIX1 NOTIFIED ON 21/11/2025 PRODUCED ALONG WITH THE NOTIFICATION DATED 18/03/2026 BEARING NO. ED/KEA/KESET/2025 ISSUED BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT PRODUCED VIDE ANNEXURE-J TO THE WRIT PETITION AND REDO THE SAME IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT ORDER DATED 25/08/2025 BEARING NO. SA KA E 8 SLP 2024 PRODUCED VIDE ANNEXURE-D TO THE WRIT PETITION. IN WP NO. 11855/2026 BETWEEN: LINGAMMA M W/O MANJUNATHA M., AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, R/AT NO. 104 E - BLOCK, 1ST FLOOR, NETHRAVATHI APARTMENT, NANDINI LAYOUT, BENGALURU - 560 096. ...PETITIONER (BY SRI. K RAVISHANKAR.,ADVOCATE) - 7 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU-560 001 2. THE KARNATAKA EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY (KEA) REP. BY ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MALLESWARAM 18TH CROSS, BENGALURU-560 012. ...RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI RAO, HCGP FOR R1 SRI. N.K. RAMESH, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO I) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE 2ND RESPONDENT TO ISSUE KAMATAKA STATE ELIGIBILITY TEST CERTIFICATE (KSET) FOR THE EXAMINATION CONDUCTED AS PER THE NOTIFICATION DATED 22/08/2025 BEARING NO.ED/KEA/KESET/2025 PRODUCED VIDE ANNEXURE-A TO THE WRIT PETITION AND, II) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO CONSIDER THE EMAIL DATED 29/11/2025 AND THE REPRESENTATION DATED 11/12/2025 OF THE PETITIONER PRODUCED VIDE ANNEXURE-H TO H1 TO THE WRIT PETITION AND ISSUE KSET CERTIFICATE AND III) ISSUE A WRIT OF DECLARATION AND DECLARE THAT THE DENIAL OF THE KSET CERTIFICATE TO THE PETITIONER BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT IS ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATORY AND VIOLATE OF ARTICLE 14 AND 16 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA IN NOT PROVIDING 17 PERCENT OF THE RESERVATION AS PER THE GOVERNMENT ORDER BEARING NO. SAA KAA E 8 SLP 2024 DATED 25/08/2025 AND NOTIFICATION DATED 04/11/2025 BEARING NO. - 8 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 SWD/285/SLP/2025 (E-1730851) PRODUCED VIDE ANNEXURE-D AND D1 TO THE WRIT PETITION, IV) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE 2ND RESPONDENT TO RE CALL AND REDO THE SUBJECT WISE LIST OF SC-A, SC-B AND SC-C AS PER APPENDIX-1 NOTIFIED ON 21/11/2025 PRODUCED ALONG WITH THE NOTIFICATION DATED 18/03/2026 BEARING NO. ED/KEA/KESET/2025 ISSUED BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT PRODUCED VIDE ANNEXURE-J TO THE WRIT PETITION AND REDO THE SAME IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT ORDER DATED 25/08/2025 BEARING NO. SA KA E 8 SLP 2024 PRODUCED VIDE ANNEXURE-D TO THE WRIT PETITION. THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI ORAL ORDER Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners will not press prayer Nos.1 to 3 for time being. 2. The petitioners filed these writ petitions seeking for mandamus directing respondent No.2 to recall and redo the subject wise list of SC-A, SC-B and SC-C as per appendix1 notified on 21.11.2025 produced along with the notification dated 18.03.2026 bearing No.ED/KEA/KESET/2025 issued by respondent No.2 - 9 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 produced vide Annexure-J to these writ petitions and redo the same in accordance with the government order dated 25.08.2025 vide Annexure-D. 3. Brief facts leading rise to the filing of these writ petitions are as follows: The petitioners are the candidates, who appeared for Karnataka Eligibility Test (KSET) for the academic year 2025-26 conducted by respondent No.2. The petitioners made applications through online which did not contain the internal reservation among the SC reservation as specified by the government order dated 25.08.2025. Respondent No.2 authority enabled a pop up option through online at the time of downloading the hall ticket to fill up the sub category as SC-A, SC-B and SC-C. The petitioners and other candidates, who have not issued with any certificates under the RD number issued by the revenue authorities have randomly filled up their hall tickets. Respondent No.2 after having conducted the examination - 10 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 and after publication of result and at the time of scrutiny of document declined to issue the KSET certificates in which the petitioners have passed. The petitioners made representation to the respondent No.2 to provide an opportunity to rectify which was not enabled at the time of inviting applications or post issuance of hall tickets to the candidates including the petitioners. Respondent No.2 has not considered the representation submitted by the petitioners. Hence, these writ petitions. 4. Learned counsel for respondent No.2 submits that the petitioners may be directed to respondent No.2, respondent No.2 will consider the representation and redo the subject wise list of SC-A, SC-B and SC.C as per appendix1 notified on 21.11.2025 produced along with notification dated 18.03.2026 issued by respondent No.2 vide Annexure-J. 5. In view of the submission made by learned counsel respondent No.2, these writ petitions are disposed - 11 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010244182026 NC: 2026:KHC:36540 WP No. 10677 of 2026 C/W WP No. 11855 of 2026 of, directing respondent No.2 to recall or redo the subject wise list of SC-A, SC-B and SC.C as per appendix1 notified on 21.11.2025 produced along with notification dated 18.03.2026 issued by respondent No.2 vide Annexure-J to the writ petition and redo the same in accordance with the government order dated 25.08.2025 vide Annexure-D within two weeks from the date of the receipt of the copy of this order. 6. Pending application/s, if any, shall stand disposed of. Sd/- (ASHOK S.KINAGI) JUDGE SSB