- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010620522026 NC: 2026:KHC:49063-DB WP No. 27866 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 9TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE CHILLAKUR SUMALATHA WRIT PETITION NO. 27866 OF 2026 (S-KSAT) BETWEEN: 1. SRI CHANDRASHEKHAR R G S/O. LATE HALESHAPPA, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, WORKING AS ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, INSPECTION BUNGALOW ROAD, SIRSI, UTTARA KANNADA-581 401. R/AT ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER QUARTERS, RAGHAVENDRA CIRCLE, SIRSI, UTTARA KANNADA - 581 401. PHONE NO. 9071284185 EMAIL ID: csrgofficial@gmail.com 2. SRI. NISCHAY N. K., S/O. H. NARAYANA, AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS, WORKING AS OFFICER ON SPECIAL DUTY TO GREATER BENGALURU DEVELOPMENT MINISTER, ROOM NO.244, 2ND FLOOR, VIKASA SOUDHA, BANGALORE - 560 001. PERMANENTLY R/AT NO.1309, 3RD CROSS, NEHRU NAGAR, MANDYA - 571 401 PHONE NO. 9738866111 EMAIL ID: nknischay@gmail.com Digitally signed by NANJUNDACHARI Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010620522026 NC: 2026:KHC:49063-DB WP No. 27866 of 2026 3. SMT. RASHMI S. R., D/O. K V RAVINDRA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, WORKING AS ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, TALUK PRAJASOUDHA BUILDING, KUNDAPURA, 1ST FLOOR, UDUPI - 576 201. RESIDING AT ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER QUARTERS, NEAR KUNDAPURA TALUK OFFICE, UDUPI 576 201. PHONE NO. 9972061514 EMAIL ID: rashmisr@gmail.com 4. SRI. SUDARSHAN B. K, S/O. KODANDARAMAIAH, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, PRESENTLY WORKING AS SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER, NH 375, BEHIND KENGAL TEMPLE, SAI NATHA PARALLEL ROAD, SUBHASH NAGAR, ARSIKERE, HASSAN - 573 103. PERMANENTLY R/AT DOOR NO.498, SRI SHIVARATHREESHWARA NAGAR, BANNIMANTAP B LAYOUT, MYSURU -570 015 PHONE NO: 9740280060 EMAIL ID: sudarshan.kramu@gmail.com 5. SRI. UMESH J S/O. JAYARAMU, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, WORKING AS ADDITIONAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER, 1ST FLOOR, A BLOCK, KUMARA PARK, BANGALORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HEAD OFFICE, BANGALORE-560023, R/AT DOOR NO.303, 3RD FLOOR, BENAKA ENCLAVE, 1ST CROSS, BESIDE GRAND CONTINENTAL HOTEL, - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010620522026 NC: 2026:KHC:49063-DB WP No. 27866 of 2026 MALLESHWARAM, BANGALORE-560003 PHONE NO. 9686464659 EMAIL ID: umesh.mj2@gmail.com …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. M.S. BHAGWAT & SRI UDAYA HOLLA, SR. COUNSELS FOR SRI SATISH K., AND RAJENDRA, ADVS.) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, M. S. BUILDING, BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REP. BY SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BANGALORE - 560 001. 3. SRI. L. JAYANNA, FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONERS, MAJOR, WORKING AS TAHSILDAR, GRADE - I, OFFICE OF THE SUB DIVISIONAL OFFICER, RAMANAGARA SUB DIVISION, BANGALORE SOUTH DISTRICT-562 159. 4. SRI. CHIDAMBARA SESHAGIRI RAO KULKARNI, FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONERS, MAJOR, WORKING AS TAHSILDAR, GRADE - I, HUBLI NAGAR TALUK, DHARWAD DISTRICT - 580 001. 5. SRI. SURESH N. CHAVALAR, FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONERS, MAJOR, WORKING AS TAHSILDAR, GRADE - I, - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010620522026 NC: 2026:KHC:49063-DB WP No. 27866 of 2026 TIKOTA TALUK, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT - 586 101. 6. SRI. SHASHIDAR G. MADYALA, FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONERS, MAJOR, WORKING AS TAHSILDAR, GRADE - I, ANEKAL TALUK, BANGALORE DISTRICT - 562 106. 7. SMT. PARIMALA K. DESHPANDE FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONERS, MAJOR, WORKING AS TAHSILDAR, GRADE-I, OFFICE OF THE SUB DIVISIONAL OFFICER, CHIKKODI SUB DIVISION, BELAGAVI DISTRICT - 591 201. 8. SRI. S. S. NAYAKALA MATH, FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONERS, MAJOR, WORKING AS TAHSILDAR, GRADE - I, MUNICIPAL TAHSILDAR, OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, VIJAYAPURA DISTRICT - 586 101. 9. SRI. VIJAY KUMAR G. KADAKOL, FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONERS, MAJOR, WORKING AS TAHSILDAR, GRADE - I, TERDALA TALUK, BAGALKOT DISTRICT - 587 101. 10. SRI. PRAKASH M. NASHI, FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONERS, MAJOR, WORKING AS TAHSILDAR, GRADE - I, YALABURGA TALUK, KOPPAL DISTRICT - 583 231. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RUBEN JACOB, AAG A/W SRI B.S. SUDHINDRA, HCGP FOR R1 & 2 SRI DEEPAK S. SHETTY, ADV. FOR R10) - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010620522026 NC: 2026:KHC:49063-DB WP No. 27866 of 2026 THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO I) CALL FOR RECORDS FROM THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL, BENGALURU IN RESPECT OF THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 27/08/2026 PASSED IN APPLICATION NOS. 3126 - 3130/2026 (ANNEXURE - A) AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE CHILLAKUR SUMALATHA ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT) In the above writ petition, the petitioners are before this Court aggrieved by the interim order dated 27.08.2026 in Application Nos.3126-3130/2026, whereunder the petitioners prayer to stay the operation, implementation and execution of the impugned final seniority list dated 02.06.2026 bearing No.RD 131 ASD 2024 relating to the cadre of Tahsildar Grade-II insofar as ranking assigned to the petitioners, as well as the provisional seniority list dated 22.06.2026 in the cadre of Tahsildar Grade-I insofar as ranking assigned to the petitioners as well as private respondents, are rejected. - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010620522026 NC: 2026:KHC:49063-DB WP No. 27866 of 2026 2. Heard learned senior counsel Sri.M.S.Bhagwat and learned counsel Sri.Udaya Holla along with learned counsel Sri.K.R.Rajendra appearing on behalf of learned counsel Sri.K.Satish for petitioner and learned Additional Advocate General Sri.Reuben Jacob along with Sri.B.S.Sudhindra, learned HCGPfor respondents No.1 and 2 as well as Sri.Deepak Shetty, learned counsel for Respondent No.10. 3. The dispute between the petitioners and private respondents is inter se seniority among themselves in the cadre of Tahsildar Grade-II and Tahsildar Grade-I. Learned senior counsels appearing for the petitioners urged several grounds among the ground that once inter se seniority between the parties which is finalized cannot be tinkered after more than six years. Further they would submit that based on the impugned seniority list, the private respondents are retrospectively promoted to the cadre of Tahsildar Grade-I. Further, learned senior counsels would submit that the private respondents would - 7 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010620522026 NC: 2026:KHC:49063-DB WP No. 27866 of 2026 also be promoted to KAS Class-I Junior Scale and would be placed above the petitioners. 4. The Tribunal on considering the contentions raised before it, by its detailed order rejected the prayer of the petitioners to stay the final seniority list dated 02.06.2026 as well as provisional seniority list dated 22.06.2026. 5. Learned AAG Sri.Reuben Jacob appearing for respondents No.1 and 2 on instructions would submit that petitioners’ interest would be protected during the pendency of the application before the Tribunal and he further submits that petitioners would not be reverted and they would be continued in the present position itself. 6. As stated above, the dispute is with regard to seniority among the petitioners and private respondents in the instant writ petition. Several contentions are raised on behalf of the petitioners including the contention that the seniority among petitioners and respondents has become final and after more than six years, the respondents could - 8 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010620522026 NC: 2026:KHC:49063-DB WP No. 27866 of 2026 not have tinkered the seniority by assigning ranking under the seniority list. All the contentions raised by the parties are to be considered by the Tribunal at the time of disposal of the application. 7. Learned senior counsel for the petitioners also contended that, interim order is granted in application where seniority list pertaining to the Hyderabad-Karnataka Local cadre of Tahsildar Grade-II is concerned. Grant or non-grant of interim order would depend on the facts and circumstances of the each case and in the matter of interim order, the Court shall have to examine the facts and balance the situation. 8. Normally, the Court would not stay the seniority list or ranking. If the petitioners succeed in their challenge to the seniority list, they would be entitled for all the consequential benefits. Moreover, the petitioners are already in the higher cadre of KAS Junior Scale and the learned Additional Advocate General has submitted that - 9 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010620522026 NC: 2026:KHC:49063-DB WP No. 27866 of 2026 the petitioners would not be reverted from their present position. Further, in the facts and circumstances, the petitioners have failed to demonstrate immediate threat to their position. However, it is not open for the petitioners to contend that the respondents shall not be promoted, when the respondents are still one cadre below the petitioners. In the above said circumstances, we do not find any error or illegality in the impugned order passed by the Tribunal rejecting the prayer of the petitioners to stay the ranking assigned to the petitioners as well as private respondents herein. Accordingly, the writ petition stands rejected. Sd/- (S.G.PANDIT) JUDGE Sd/- (DR.CHILLAKUR SUMALATHA) JUDGE MPK CT:bms List No.: 1 Sl No.: 6