- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010638532025 NC: 2026:KHC:51440 WP No. 29605 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE JYOTI M WRIT PETITION NO. 29605 OF 2025 (SC/ST) BETWEEN: H.Y.NARAYANAPPA S/O. LATE YELLAPPA, AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS, R/AT HANCHALA VILLAGE, KASABA HOBLI, BANGARPET TALUK, KOLAR DISTRICT - 563 114. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SHIVARAJU M.K., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REVENUE DEPARTMENT, M.S. BUILDINGS, BENGALURU-560 001 REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY. 2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, KOLAR DISTRICT, KOLAR, 3. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, KOLAR SUB-DIVISION, KOLAR. Digitally signed by PREMCHANDRA M R Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010638532025 NC: 2026:KHC:51440 WP No. 29605 of 2025 4. THE TAHSILDAR, BANGARPET TALUK, BANGARPET. LAKSHMAMMA W/O LATE MUNIVENKATAPPA SINCE DEAD BY HIS LRS 5. MANGALAMMA, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, W/O. SHRI NARAYANASWAMY D/O. LATE LAKSHMAMMA AND LATE MUNIVENKATAPPA R/AT HANCHALA VILLAGE, KASABA HOBLI, BANGARPET TALUK, KOLAR DISTRICT - 563 114. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. SAVITHRAMMA, AGA FOR R1 TO R4; SRI. NAIK RAMACHANDRA R., ADVOCATE R5) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, SEEKING CERTAIN RELIEFS. THIS WRIT PETITION IS LISTED FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN 'B' GROUP, THIS DAY, AN ORDER IS MADE AS UNDER: ORAL ORDER Sri.Shivaraju.M.K., counsel for the petitioner; Smt.Savithramma., Additional Government Advocate for respondent Nos. 1 to 4, and Sri.Naik Ramachandra.R., counsel for respondent No.5 appeared in person. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010638532025 NC: 2026:KHC:51440 WP No. 29605 of 2025 2. The petition is filed seeking a writ of certiorari to quash the orders passed by the Assistant Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner. These orders are challenged in this writ petition on several grounds as set out in the memorandum of the writ petition. 3. Counsel for the respective parties advanced several contentions. AGA and counsel for respondent No.5 submits that as there was a violation of provisions of PTCL Act, the resumption is justified. Urging additional grounds, they submit that the petition lacks merit and the same may be dismissed. 4. The Court heard the arguments and carefully perused the papers. 5. This issue is limited to resumption proceedings. The land in question, Sy.No.17/P-18, new Sy.No.17, spans 3 acres in Hanchala Village, Kasaba Hobli, Bangarpet Taluk, Kolar District. It was granted to Mr.Munivenkatappa, in 1974. Later, the original grantee along with his family members sold the property on 01.12.2003 through a registered sale deed. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010638532025 NC: 2026:KHC:51440 WP No. 29605 of 2025 Nearly 18 years after the sale, in 2021, the Lrs. of original grantee initiated proceedings under Section 5 of the Act before the Assistant Commissioner, seeking resumption of the land. The Assistant Commissioner approved the petition and ordered the land to be resumed. Dissatisfied, the petitioner appealed to the Deputy Commissioner, who upheld the original order. However, both the Assistant and Deputy Commissioners overlooked the nearly 18-year delay in initiating these proceedings. They failed to consider the issue of laches or the petitioner's claim that the proceedings were commenced after an unreasonable delay. The authorities should have evaluated whether to proceed after nearly 18 years, especially since the rights in the land were settled by the sale deed in 2003. The oversight in considering the delay and laches led to orders for land resumption being issued without adequately addressing a crucial and relevant issue. The Division Bench in W.A.No.1035/2025 clarified that laches should be regarded as the primary requirement when - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010638532025 NC: 2026:KHC:51440 WP No. 29605 of 2025 resuming lands. It also held that if restoration action is filed after a significant delay, it could be barred by laches. In the facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is of the considered view that the orders passed by the Assistant Commissioner and confirmed by the Deputy Commissioner, directing resumption of the subject land, cannot be legally sustained. Accordingly, the impugned orders are liable to be set aside. 6. For the foregoing reasons, the orders of the Assistant Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner are liable to be set aside. 7. The writ of certiorari is ordered. The order dated 03.05.2025 passed by the Assistant Commissioner vide Annexure-B, and the order dated 15.09.2025 passed by the Deputy Commissioner vide Annexure-A are quashed. As this Court has quashed the orders, the authority concerned is hereby directed to restore the petitioner's name in the subject land in the revenue records. 8. Resultantly, the writ petition is allowed. - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010638532025 NC: 2026:KHC:51440 WP No. 29605 of 2025 On disposal of the Writ Petition, any interim order stands discharged, and any pending interlocutory applications, if any, are disposed of. Sd/- (JYOTI M) JUDGE MRP List No.: 1 Sl No.: 22