- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010438892026 NC: 2026:KHC:46765-DB WP No. 19729 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS AND THE HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE K.MANMADHA RAO WRIT PETITION NO. 19729 OF 2026 (S-KSAT) BETWEEN: DR. MANIL RAJ S/O RACHAIAH AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS WORKING AS ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE CHAMARAJNAGAR, MYSORE ROAD BEDARAPURA – 571 213 R/AT NO.112, HPO AND RMS LAYOUT DR. RAJKUMAR ROAD MYSURU – 570 029. …PETITIONER (BY SRI VIJAYA KUMAR, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT M. S. BUILDING, BENGALURU-560 001. 2. THE COMMISSIONER COLLEGIATE & TECHNICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PALACE ROAD BENGALURU - 560 001. Digitally signed by G SHREERAKSHA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010438892026 NC: 2026:KHC:46765-DB WP No. 19729 of 2026 3. THE DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION TANTRIKA SHIKSHANA BHAVANA PALACE ROAD BENGALURU – 560 001. 4. THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BEDARAPURA - 571 313 CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT. 5. THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE KRISHNARAJAPET MANDYA DISTRICT – 571 426. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI V. SHIVA REDDY, AGA) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 02.06.2026 PASSED BY THE HON’BLE TRIBUNAL IN APPLICATION No.2508/2026 (VIDE ANNEXURE-A) AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS and HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE K.MANMADHA RAO - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010438892026 NC: 2026:KHC:46765-DB WP No. 19729 of 2026 ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS) Learned AGA takes notice for all the respondents. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner is directed to serve a copy of the petition along with annexures on the learned AGA. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal has rejected the interim prayer made by the petitioner, on the ground that the orders impugned before the Tribunal are only meeting resolution and internal correspondence. However, learned counsel for the petitioner has drawn the attention of this Court to page No.168 of the writ petition, where subsequently the Tribunal has passed interim orders of stay under similar circumstances where the respondents have sought to recover the amount from the applicants on the ground that they did not complete the Ph.D. degree within the prescribed time. The Tribunal has passed an - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010438892026 NC: 2026:KHC:46765-DB WP No. 19729 of 2026 order in Application No.2619-2621/2026 dated 20.05.2026. Moreover, it is submitted that the Rules and Regulations of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay in respect of Ph.D. programmes as found at Annexure - A27 clearly provides for a period of six years for completion of the course and admittedly the petitioner has completed the course within a period of 5 years 6 months. 4. Consequently, there shall be an interim order of stay of all further proceedings pursuant to the impugned orders bearing No.DTE/32/CDC(2)/2023(1149317) dated 01.09.2025 insofar as the petitioner is concerned. 5. Since this writ petition has been filed by the petitioner being aggrieved of the Tribunal not granting the interim order of stay and that this Court has passed an interim order, the writ petition itself stands disposed of with a direction that the interim order of stay passed by this Court shall continue, till the disposal of the application filed by the petitioner before the Tribunal. - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010438892026 NC: 2026:KHC:46765-DB WP No. 19729 of 2026 Ordered accordingly. Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE Sd/- (DR.K.MANMADHA RAO) JUDGE GSR List No.: 1 Sl No.: 40