- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010603892026 NC: 2026:KHC:47285 WP No. 27156 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 31ST DAY OF AUGUST, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ WRIT PETITION NO. 27156 OF 2026 (GM-RES) BETWEEN: SRI. ROSHAN BONIFACE MARTIS S/O MANI PAUL SALVADOR MARTIS, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER OF KARAVALI SUDDI WEEKLY NEWSPAPER, RESIDING AT MANI VILLAGE, BANTWALA TALUKU, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT - 574 253 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. MOHAMMED SULTAN, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. KARNATAKA UNION OF WORKING JOURNALISTS (KUWJ), REPRESENTED BY ITS STATE PRESIDENT, 3RD FLOOR, KANDAYA BHAVANA, KEMPEGOWDA ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 009. REG. UNDER THE TRADE UNION ACT 1926 Digitally signed by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010603892026 NC: 2026:KHC:47285 WP No. 27156 of 2026 3. THE GENERAL SECRETARY, KARNATAKA UNION OF WORKING JOURNALISTS (KUWJ), 3RD FLOOR, KANDAYA BHAVANA, KEMPEGOWDA ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 009. REG. UNDER THE TRADE UNION ACT 1926 4. THE PRESIDENT, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT UNIT-KUWJ. PATHRIKA BHAVANA, NEAR LADY HILL. URWA MARKET ROAD, URWA, MANGALURU, KARNATAKA - 575 003. REG. UNDER THE TRADE UNION ACT 1926 5. THE SECRETARY, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT UNIT - KUWJ. PATHRIKA BHAVANA, NEAR LADY HILL. URWA MARKET ROAD, URWA, MANGALURU, KARNATAKA - 575 003. REG. UNDER THE TRADE UNION ACT 1926 6. PATRAKARTARA GRAHA NIRMANA SAHAKARA SANGHA (R), REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT / SECRETARY, PATHRIKA BHAVANA, NEAR LADY HILL, URWA MARKET ROAD, URWA, MANGALURU, KARNATAKA - 575 003. REG. UNDER KARNATAKA CO OPERATIVE SOCIETIES ACT 1959 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. SHAMANT NAIK, AGA) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECTING THE R2 - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010603892026 NC: 2026:KHC:47285 WP No. 27156 of 2026 AND 3 TO FORMALLY PROCESS, APPROVE AND ISSUE THE KARNATAKA UNION OF WORKING JOURNALISTS (KUWJ) MEMBERSHIP CARD TO THE PETITIONER PURSUANT TO HIS APPLICATION DATED 27.02.2026 AS PRODUCED IN ANNX-B ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ ORAL ORDER 1. Learned Additional Government Advocate accepts notice for respondent no.1. 2. Notice of respondent nos.2 to 6 is dispensed with in view of the proposed order to be passed by the petitioner. 3. Petitioner is before this court seeking for the following reliefs: a. ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS or any other appropriate Writ, Order, or Direction, directing Respondents No. 2 and 3 to formally process, approve, and issue the Karnataka Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) Membership Card to the Petitioner pursuant to his application dated 27/02/2026 as produced in Annexure B. b. ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS directing Respondents No. 2, 3, 4, and 5 to extend all - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010603892026 NC: 2026:KHC:47285 WP No. 27156 of 2026 consequential welfare benefits attached to KUWJ membership, including Health Insurance coverage, bi-annual health check-up benefits, KSRTC and Private Bus Pass recommendations to the Petitioner without delay; c. ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS directing Respondent No. 1 (State of Karnataka, Department of Information & Public Relations) to constitute an Independent Committee / Court-Monitored Inquiry to audit the membership rolls of Respondent No. 2, and identify, purge, and cancel bogus memberships granted to ineligible persons and representatives utilizing credentials of defunct or closed media houses; d. PASS such other order or orders, including the costs of this writ petition, as this Hon'ble Court deems fit and proper under the facts and circumstances of the case, to meet the ends of justice. 4. The grievance of the petitioner is that the application submitted by the petitioner seeking membership of respondent nos.2 and 3/Society has not been favourably considered and the petitioner has not been admitted as a membership of respondent nos.2 and 3/Society. 5. A writ petition seeking a direction to grant membership to be provided in a Society is not maintainable. The membership, if any, would have to be granted or otherwise in terms of the bye-laws, which cannot be decided in a writ petition. If at all the petitioner is agreed by the respondents for not - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010603892026 NC: 2026:KHC:47285 WP No. 27156 of 2026 granting membership, it would always be available for the petitioner to avail such remedies available under civil law seeking for such reliefs. 6. As such, the petition stands disposed. Sd/- (SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE GJM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 18