- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010600312025 NC: 2026:KHC:42680-DB CCC No.1181 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 12TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T.M.NADAF CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO.1181 OF 2025 BETWEEN: 1. DR.JYOTHI M.R, D/O RAMU, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, WORKING AS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, RAMAIAH INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING, MSRIT POST, BENGALURU-560 054, R/AT: NO.44, FLAT NO.201, MSNR GRAND, 1ST CROSS, MANORAYANA PALYA, R.T.NAGAR POST, BENGALURU-560 032. 2. DR.H.U.RAGHAVENDRA, S/O H.A.UTHAPPA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, WORKING IN CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, M.S.RAMAIAH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, BENGALURU-560 054. R/AT: C/O H.A.UTHAPPA, #162/1, SUVARNANAGAR, DODDABIDARAKALLU LAYOUT, NAGASANDRA POST, BENGALURU-560 073. …COMPLAINANTS (BY SRI.RANGANATHA S. JOIS, ADVOCATE) Digitally signed by K S RENUKAMBA Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010600312025 NC: 2026:KHC:42680-DB CCC No.1181 of 2025 AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REP. BY PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, M S BUILDING, DR.AMBEDKAR ROAD, BENGALURU, KARNATAKA-560 001. …PROFORMA RESPONDENT 2. SRI. PRASANNA.H, IAS, DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, 1, PALACE ROAD, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, SAMPANGI RAMA NAGARA, BENGALURU, KARNATAKA-560 001 3. DR. N.V.R. NAIDU, PRINCIPAL, M.S.RAMAIAH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, GOKULA EDUCATION FOUNDATION, MSR NAGAR, MSRIT POST, BENGALURU, KARNATAKA-560 054. 4. SRI. M.R.ANANDARAM, SECRETARY, M.S.RAMAIAH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, GOKULA EDUCATION FOUNDATION, MSR NAGAR, MSRIT POST, BENGALURU, KARNATAKA-560 054. …ACCUSED (BY SMT.SUKANYA BALIGA, AGA FOR PROFORMA RESPONDENT & A2: SRI.H.N.NARENDRA DEV, ADVOCATE FOR A3 & A4) THIS CIVIL COMPTEMPT PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, READ WITH ARTICLE 215 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA BY THE COMPLAINANTS PRAYING TO INITIATE APPROPRIATE ACTION AGAINST THE ACCUSED FOR THE WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE AND CONTEMPT OF THE ORDERS DATED 24.07.2025 IN W.P.NO.30750/2024 (S-RES) AND W.P.NO.30739/2024 (S-RES) VIDE ANNEXURE-B AND THEREBY CAUSE THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION AND UPHOLD THE DIGNITY AND MAJESTY OF LAW AND THEREBY ENABLING THE COMPLAINANTS TO REINSTATE INTO SERVICE AND TO EXTEND ALL THE CONSEQUENTIAL BENEFITS. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010600312025 NC: 2026:KHC:42680-DB CCC No.1181 of 2025 THIS CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T.M.NADAF ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI) Heard learned Counsel for the complainants, learned Counsel appearing for accused Nos.3 and 4 and learned Additional Government Advocate appearing for proforma respondent and accused No.2. 2. This contempt petition is filed seeking the following reliefs: (a) Initiate appropriate action against the Respondent/Accused for the willful disobedience and contempt of the orders dated 24.07.2025 in W.P.No.30750/2024 and W.P.30739/2024(S-Res) vide Annexure-B and thereby cause the effective implementation and uphold the dignity and majesty of law and thereby enabling the complainants to reinstate into service and to extend all the consequential benefits; (b) Pass such other order or orders as this Hon’ble Court may deem fit and necessary in the circumstances of the case. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010600312025 NC: 2026:KHC:42680-DB CCC No.1181 of 2025 3. The operative part of the common order dated 24.07.2025 is as follows: “ORDER (i) Writ Petition Nos.24786/2024 and 25511/2024 filed by the petitioners do not survive a consideration in view of their termination from service. However, they are at liberty to escalate their grievance before the AICTE or the Grievance Redressal Committee, if constituted by MSRIT. (ii) Writ Petition Nos.30750/2024 and 30739/2024 are allowed and the orders of termination of the petitioners are set aside. (iii) MSRIT is directed to reinstate the petitioners into service and if it desires to terminate or retrench the petitioners, it shall follow the due process as prescribed under Sections 98 and 99 of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983. In that event, the Director of Technical Education shall hear the petitioners and pass appropriate orders. (iv) It is needless to mention that the petitioners shall be entitled to consequential benefits such as pay, allowance and other perquisites as they are entitled to.” 4. It is evident that W.P.No.30750/2024 and W.P.No.30739/2024 were allowed and the orders of termination of the petitioners/complainants were set aside. Moreover, a direction was issued to respondent No.6/M.S.Ramaiah Institute of Technology1 to reinstate the petitioners into service, leaving 1 MSRIT - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010600312025 NC: 2026:KHC:42680-DB CCC No.1181 of 2025 it open to terminate or retrench the petitioners after following due process. 5. On record of the contempt petition at Annexures-F and G are orders of 28.08.2025 passed by the Principal of MSRIT, ordering the reinstatement of the complainants into service in the role of Assistant Professor with effect from 21.08.2025 and that they would be paid salary and all other amounts lawfully payable to them as per applicable rules and regulations. However, it is mentioned that in view of the recommendatory norms of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) regarding the faculty student ratio, given the number of students, there is no workload currently available for allocation to them. Therefore, until further notice they were directed to work from home. 6. Learned Counsel for the complainants states that the spirit of the order of the Writ Court dated 24.07.2025 is not being complied with. It is stated that the complainants though have been reinstated, are not being allowed to work which defeats the very purpose of the order passed by the Writ Court. - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010600312025 NC: 2026:KHC:42680-DB CCC No.1181 of 2025 7. Learned Counsel appearing for accused Nos.3 and 4 states that due compliance of the order of the Writ Court dated 24.07.2025 has been done. 8. In our considered opinion, the order of the Writ Court, non compliance of which is alleged, has been complied with. The two complainants who are admittedly the petitioners in W.P.No.30750/2024 and W.P.No.30739/2024 were reinstated into service. What the complainants seek to agitate may be a further cause of action but would certainly not be a cause to agitate before this Court the non-compliance of the order of the Writ Court that would entitle maintaining this petition for contempt. For the reasons aforesaid, the accused are discharged and the contempt petition is consigned. Sd/- (JAYANT BANERJI) JUDGE Sd/- (T.M.NADAF) JUDGE KSR List No.: 1 Sl No.: 12