- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:5196-DB WA No. 8 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 29TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA WRIT APPEAL NO. 8 OF 2026 (EDN-RES) BETWEEN: 1. KARANTAKA STATE OPEN UNIVERSITY 14TH CROSS, 2ND STAGE OPPOSITE TO ST.JOSEPH MUKTHAGANGOTRI MYSORE - 570 006 REP. BY ITS REGISTRAR. …APPELLANT (BY SRI T.P. RAJENDRA KUMAR SUNGAY, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. MR. RAMESH BABU BATHALA S/O. B SUBBA RAMU AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS R/O. NO.16-621/5-1 SHESHAPPA THOTA MADANAPALLI, CHITTOOR ANDHRA PRADESH PIN - 517 325 2. STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION VIKASA SOUDHA BANGALORE - 01 REP. BY ITS UNDER SECRETARY Digitally signed by AMBIKA H B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:5196-DB WA No. 8 of 2026 3. UNIVERSITY GRANT COMMISSION, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG, NEW DELHI - 110 002 REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. NAMITHA MAHESH B.G., AGA FOR R-2) THIS WRIT APPEAL FILED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO CALL FOR RELEVANT RECORDS AND SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 12.11.2025 PASSED IN W.P.No. 26402/2024 (EDN-RES) BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE OF THIS HON'BLE COURT AND DISMISS THE SAID WRIT PETITION BY ALLOWING THE WRIT APPEAL. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA ORAL JUDGMENT (PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE) 1. The appellant has filed the present appeal impugning an order dated 12.11.2025 passed by the learned Single Judge in W.P.No.26402/2024 (EDN-RES). - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:5196-DB WA No. 8 of 2026 2. The writ petitioner had filed the said writ petition praying that the appellant be directed to consider his case for issuance of a verification certificate based on the earlier judgment passed by this Court in WP No.8638/2016 and WP No.25361/2017. 3. The writ petitioner, who was admitted by the appellant Karnataka State Open University for pursuing Diploma in Automobile Engineering for the academic year 2011-2012, had completed the course in the year 2015. On 16.06.2016, the University Grants Commission [UGCA] had issued a notification derecognizing the appellant. Consequently, the degrees issued by the appellant were also derecognized and students who had completed the courses were not being considered as having qualified the said course. This Court had in the earlier writ petitions passed orders directing that those candidates who had taken admission upto and including the academic year 2012-13 would be entitled to a degree regardless of the year of passing the final examination. The learned Single Judge following the earlier decisions allowed the writ petition in terms of the impugned order. 4. Concededly the issue is covered by the earlier decision of this Court including the order dated 17.08.2022 passed by the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:5196-DB WA No. 8 of 2026 learned Single Judge in W.P.No.24293/2021, which is referred to in the impugned order. 5. The appellant had filed an appeal against the said decision [Order dated 17.08.2022 in W.P.No.24293/2021] being Writ Appeal No.1257/2022 (ED-RES) which was dismissed by the coordinate bench of this Court by an order dated 12.12.2024 [NC:2024:KHC:51214-DB]. The special leave petition preferred by the appellant against the said decision [SLP(Civil) Diary No(s).21427/2025] was also dismissed by the Supreme Court by an order dated 14.10.2025. 6. In view of the above, we find no grounds to interfere with the impugned order. The appeal is accordingly dismissed. 7. Pending applications, if any, stand disposed of. Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE AHB, List No.: 2 Sl No.: 6