- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010534382026 NC: 2026:KHC:46456-DB WP No. 23991 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 28TH 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.23991 OF 2026 (KLR-RES-PIL) BETWEEN: 1. SRI. SRINIVASAPPA .R S/O LATE RANGAPPA, AGED ABOUT 67 YEARS, 2. SRI. SREENIVASA S/O VENKATASWAMY, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, 3. SRI. DEVARAJA R.V. S/O VENKATSWAMY, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, 4. SRI. SHIVAPPA S/O ERAPPA, AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS, ALL ARE R/AT CHANNARAYANAPALLI VILLAGE, NALLAPPAREDDIPALLI GRAM PANCHAYAT, GULUR HOBLI, BAGEPALLI TALUK, CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT-562107. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. ADINARAYANAPPA, ADVOCATE) Digitally signed by MAHALAKSHMI B M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010534382026 NC: 2026:KHC:46456-DB WP No. 23991 of 2026 AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPT. OF REVENUE, GOVT. OF KARNATAKA, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU-5600001. 2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT, CHIKKABALLAPURA - 562101. 3. THE TAHSILDAR, BAGEPALLI, BAGEPALLI TALUK, CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT-561207. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. NILOUFER AKBAR, ADDL. GOVERNMENT ADVOCATE) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 & 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI OR ANY OTHER WRIT ORDER TO SET ASIDE THE AMENDED OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM ISSUED BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT BEARING NO.ASHRYA/C.R/126/2020-21 DATED 24.04.2025 AND ON CONSIDERING THE REPRESENTATION MADE BY THE PETITIONERS DATED 05.05.2026 WHICH ARE PRODUCED AT ANNEXURES-'A' AND 'B' 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 - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010534382026 NC: 2026:KHC:46456-DB WP No. 23991 of 2026 ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE) 1. The learned Additional Government Advocate accepts notice for the respondents. 2. The petitioners have filed the present petition as a public interest litigation, inter alia, praying that directions be issued to respondent No.2 to consider their representation dated 05.05.2026. The petitioners impugn the amended Official Memorandum dated 24.04.2025 issued by the Deputy Commissioner, Chikkaballapura District, whereby certain lands measuring 9 acres 7 guntas falling in Survey No.195 of Nallappareddipalli Village, Gulur Hobli, Bagepalli Taluk, have been reserved for allotment to the landless persons. 3. The petitioners state that the said lands is now being earmarked for providing housing to landless persons. It is the petitioners' grievance that the said land is gomal land meant for grazing of animals. The petitioners submit that, if the said land is allocated, there would be a severe shortage of land for grazing of cattle. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010534382026 NC: 2026:KHC:46456-DB WP No. 23991 of 2026 4. While the petitioners have flagged the issue regarding the need to preserve grazing lands, there is also a need to provide homes and land to the landless persons. These are clearly competing public purposes, given the shortage of land. 5. Considering that the land is also earmarked for a public purpose, we do not consider it apposite to entertain the present petition. The decision as to the public purpose for which Government land is to be used is essentially a decision to be made by the concerned authorities. The petition is, accordingly, dismissed. Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (K.S. HEMALEKHA) JUDGE MBM List No.: 2 Sl No.: 4