- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 28TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS WRIT PETITION NO. 837 OF 2026 (KLR-RES) BETWEEN: 1. CHANDRAMMA W/O DHARMAYYA AGED ABOUT 61 YEARS 2. MUHADEVAMMA W/O MADHU AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS 3. EERAMMA W/O GOVINDAYYA AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS 4. SANNAMMA W/O DHARMAYYA AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS 5. LAKSHMAMMA W/O RAJA AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS 6. ARPITHA W/O MAHADEVA AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS 7. SAKAMMA W/O MUNIYA AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS 8. MAHADEVAMMA W/O MAHADEVAMMA AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 9. TAYAMMA W/O DHARMA AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS 10. SHIVAMMA W/O ANDANI AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS 11. HELAGAMMA W/O KUNNAYYA AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS 12. TAYAMMA W/O MANJA AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS 13. MAHADEVAMMA W/O HELAGAYYA AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS 14. MARAMMA W/O KARIYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, 15. SANAMMA W/O SHIVANNA, AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS, 16. CHAMAMMA W/O MUTHAYYA, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, 17. JAYALAKSHMAMMA W/O RAMESHA, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, 18. HELAGAMMA W/O YOGESHA, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, ALL R/AT GOLLARADODDI VILLAGE, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 19. MAHADEVAMMA W/O CHENNAGIRAYYA, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, 20. GIRIJA W/O SRINIVASA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, BOTH R/T VADDARAHALLI VILLAGE, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 21. MAHADEVI W/O KRISHNAMURTHY, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, 22. MAHADEVAMMA W/O DODDAYYA, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, 23. EERAMMA W/O CHIKKAHALAGAYYA, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, 24. REKHA W/O KRISHNAMURTHY, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, 25. MANJULA W/O DODDAYYA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, 26. SHIVALINGAMMA W/O HOLASALAYYA, AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS, - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 ALL R/AT CHANNIGANADODDI VILLAGE, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 27. LAKSHMAMMA W/O NAVANAYYA, AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS, 28. LAKSHMAMMA W/O DODDAYYA, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, 29. SANNAMMA W/O VENKATESH, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, 30. EERAMMA W/O VENKATAIAH, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, ALL R/AT GOLLARADODDI VILLAGE, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 31. ANITA W/O HARISH, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, R/AT VADDARAHALLI, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 32. SHIVAMADAMMA W/O KARIYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, 33. GEETHA W/O SHIVANNA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 BOTH R/AT CHANNIGANADODDI, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 34. JAYASHEELA W/O MUTTHARAJU, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, 35. MAADAMMA W/O CHINNAPPA, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, 36. SHIVAMADAMMA W/O HALAGAYYA, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, 37. MAHADEVAMMA W/O SRINIVASA, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, 38. DODDATHAYAMMA W/O CHINNAHALAGAYYA, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, ALL R/AT GOLLARADODDI, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 39. SUSHMITHA W/O MUNIRAJU, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, R/A CHANNIGANADODDI, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 40. CHAMAMMA W/O VENKATAIAH, AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 41. ROOPADEVI W/O HANUMANTHA, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS 42. MAHADEVAMMA W/O CHENNAIAH, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS 43. KEMPAMMA W/O SHIVALINGAIAH, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS 44. CHIKKAHALAGAMMA, W/O KABBALAIAH, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS 45. THAYAMMA W/O BORAIAH, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS 46. MAHADEVAMMA W/O PUTTAIAH, AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS ALL RESIDING AT ANKANAHALLI, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 47. GOWRAMMA W/O MANU, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, R/A GOLLARADODDI, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 48. JAYAMMA W/O BAIRAIAH, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, R/A ANKANAHALLI, KAILANCHA HOBLI, - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 49. BASAVARAJAMMA W/O DHARMAIAH, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, R/A GOLLARADODDI, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 50. JAYAMMA, W/O ANDANAIAH, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, R/A NAGOHALLI, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. 51. MARAAMMA W/O HALAGAIAH, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS 52. HALAGAMMA W/O MAHADEVAIAH, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS BOTH RESIDING AT GOLLARADODDI, KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH - 562 159. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. CLIFTON D.ROZARIO, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY, VIDHANA SOUDHA, DR BR AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU - 560 001. - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 2. STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE, M.S. BUILDING, DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU - 560 001. 3. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER RAMANAGARA, BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT - 562 159. 4. DEPUTY DIRECTOR OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRIBAL WELFARE, RAMANAGARA, BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT - 562 159. 5. TAHSILDAR RAMANAGARA, BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT - 562 159. 6. PANCHAYAT DEVELOPMENT OFFICER KAILANCHA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA, BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT - 562 159. 7. STATION HOUSE OFFICER RAMANAGARA RURAL POLICE STATION, RAMANAGARA, BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT - 562 159. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT.NAVYA SHEKAR, AGA) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE AN APPROPRIATE WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION QUASHING THE ORDER BEARING NO.RMGAC-LND/16/23(COMP NO.174984) DATED 30.07.2025 ISSUED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.3 HEREIN, PLACED AS ANNEXURE-B AND ETC. - 9 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS ORAL ORDER Learned AGA takes notice for all the respondents. 2. The grievance of the petitioners is that respondent No.3-Deputy Commissioner, Ramanagara, Bengaluru South District, has issued Official Memorandum at Annexure-B modifying the earlier Official Memorandum at Annexure-A dated 18.02.2025 depriving the petitioners who belong to the tribal Iruliga community the rights to have residential sites in 2 acres and 25 guntas of land in Sy.No.39 of Nagohalli Village, Kailancha Hobli, Ramanagara Taluk. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the Deputy Commissioner has rightly issued the Official Memorandum at Annexure-A dated 18.02.2025 reserving 2 acres and 25 guntas of land for the benefit of the persons belonging to the tribal Iruliga community to have a roof over their heads. However the Deputy Commissioner has thereafter modified the Official Memorandum at Annexure-A by issuing Official Memorandum at Annexure-B - 10 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 stating that the said lands will be utilized for formation of a residential layout to be allotted to all poor persons without any shelter. Learned counsel submits that Sy.No.39 has got vast extent of land measuring 231 acres and the Deputy Commissioner could have reserved various other extents of land for the benefit of all poor and shelterless persons. There was no need for the Deputy Commissioner to modify the Official Memorandum at Annexure-A. Moreover, the petitioners have been informed that they will not be given any site in the said layout that is going to be formed in the 2 acres and 25 guntas as propounded in the original Official Memorandum at Annexure-A and they will be given lands only if it is available after granting it to others. 3. Learned AGA submits that the Official Memorandum issued at Annexure-A reserving the sites to be allotted only for the benefit of persons belonging to a particular community may be opposed to public policy and therefore, the Deputy Commissioner has rightly modified the same by issuing Official Memorandum at Annexure-B making it clear that the sites will be allotted to all poor and siteless or shelterless persons. No - 11 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 infirmity can be found in the impugned Official Memorandum at Annexure-B. 4. There is substance in the submission made by the learned AGA. However, the Deputy Commissioner or the Competent Authority who is required to consider the grievances of the petitioners for allotment of sites cannot say that the sites will not be allotted to the petitioners or persons belonging to the tribal Iruliga community. Merely because the Official Memorandum at Annexure-A is modified by virtue of Annexure-B to read the same as sites to be allotted in favour of poor and shelterless persons, it does not keep away the petitioners from the benefit of seeking sites in the layout that is going to be formed in this 2 acres and 25 guntas of land. 5. The Deputy Commissioner is also required to consider as to whether more extent of land could be identified for formation of the layout or expansion of the layout, so that more number of people who are deserving can be allotted sites. Accordingly, the writ petition stands disposed of with a direction to the respondent-Deputy Commissioner, Ramanagara District which is now known as Bengaluru South District to - 12 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4583 WP No. 837 of 2026 ensure that the petitioners who are also poor and shelterless are considered for allotment of sites in the layout that is going to be formed in this 2 acres and 25 guntas of land in Sy.No.39 of Nagohalli Village. The Deputy Commissioner shall also consider allotment and reservation of more extent of land for formation of sites for the poor and shelterless persons, which would enable more number of such persons to have shelter over their head. Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE GPG List No.: 1 Sl No.: 45