- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010196212026 NC: 2026:KHC:42740-DB WP No. 8731 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 12TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA WRIT PETITION NO.8731 OF 2026 (GM-MM_S) BETWEEN: MR. RAMU .E S/O. JAYACHANDRA REDDY .E, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, RESIDING AT NO.355, MARUTHI NAGARA, MUNIYAPPA LAYOUT, SANJAYANAGAR POST, RMV LAYOUT, BENGALURU-560 094. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. MAHENDRA S.S., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPLE SECRETARY (MINES), DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES, VIKAS SOUDHA, 1ST FLOOR, BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. THE DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, KHANIJA BHAVAN, RACE COURSE ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 001. Digitally signed by MAHALAKSHMI B M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010196212026 NC: 2026:KHC:42740-DB WP No. 8731 of 2026 3. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, ROOM NO SA-10, 2ND FLOOR, JILLADALITHA BHAVAN, PATTENAHALLI, SIDLAGATTA ROAD, CHIKKABALAPURA -5620101. 4. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF FOREST ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT, ROOM NO.442, 4TH FLOOR, GATE NO.2, M.S. BUILDING, BANGALORE-560001. 5. THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST ARYAN BHAVAN, 18TH CROSS, MALLESHWARAM, BANGALORE-560003. 6. THE DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FOREST OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS CHIKKABALLAPURA FOREST DIVISION SULALAPPANADINNE, NEAR K.V. CAMPUS CHIKKABALLAPUR - 562101. 7. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARIES TO GOVERNMENT, REVENUE DEPARTMENT, 3RD GATE, 5TH FLOOR, M.S. BUILDING, DR. AMBEDKAR VEEDI, BANGALORE-560001. 8. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, #FA-01, DISTRICT OFFICES COMPLEX, SHIDLAGHATTA ROAD, CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT CHIKKABALLAPURA - 562101. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010196212026 NC: 2026:KHC:42740-DB WP No. 8731 of 2026 9. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, #FA-01, DISTRICT OFFICES COMPLEX, SHIDLAGHATTA ROAD, CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT, CHIKKABALLAPURA - 562101. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. K.S. HARISH, GOVERNMENT ADVOCATE) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT NO.6 DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FOREST, CHIKKABALLAPURA, TO CONSIDER AND ISSUE HIS OPINION / NO OBJECTION CERTIFICATE IN RESPECT OF THE QUARRY LEASE APPLICATION OF THE PETITIONER DATED 09.03.2015 FILED IN FORM-AQL FOR GRANT OF BUILDING STONE QUARRY LEASE OVER AN EXTENT OF 4 ACRES 20 GUNTAS IN SY.NO.27 OF UCHALAGOLLAHALLI VILLAGE, TONDEBAVI HOBLI, GOWRIBIDANUR TALUK, CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010196212026 NC: 2026:KHC:42740-DB WP No. 8731 of 2026 ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE) 1. The petitioner has filed the present petition, inter alia, seeking a direction to respondent No.6 [Deputy Conservator of Forest, Chikkaballapura] to consider and issue his opinion/ No Objection Certificate [NOC] in respect of the application dated 09.03.2015 for grant of a quarry lease for extraction of building stones over an area of 4 acres 20 guntas falling in Sy.No.27 of Uchalagollahalli Village, Tondebavi Hobli, Gowribidanur Taluk, Chikkaballapura. The petitioner has also sought a direction for conducting a joint inspection and for processing his application for grant of quarry lease within a time bound period. 2. The learned Government Advocate has handed over a memo enclosing therewith an endorsement dated 05.08.2026, whereby the petitioner's application has been rejected, as the revenue authorities have declined to issue the NOC. The same is apparent from the said endorsement. The other issues raised earlier, including the issue regarding overlap of the applied area, no longer survives, and the grounds on which the application has been rejected are set out in the said endorsement. - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010196212026 NC: 2026:KHC:42740-DB WP No. 8731 of 2026 3. In view of the above, we dispose of the present petition, reserving liberty to the petitioner to avail of such remedies, if aggrieved by the impugned endorsement dated 06.02.2016 albeit in accordance with law. Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (K.S. HEMALEKHA) JUDGE AT List No.: 2 Sl No.: 19