- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3896 WP No. 1450 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 23RD DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD WRIT PETITION NO. 1450 OF 2026 (GM-RES) BETWEEN: 1. VEERAMARANNASAMY DEVARAJEERRNODDARA KATTADA SEVA SAMITHI AJJAIANA HATTI VILLAGE KANCHIPURA POST, MATHOD HOBLI, HOSADURGA TALUK CHITRADURGA DISTRICT-577121 REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT P.RANGASWAMY S/O PARAMESHWARAPPA AGED 46 YEARS 2. RAMACHANDRAPPA S/O MARAPPA AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS SECRETARY OF VEERAMARANNASWAMY DEVARAJEERNODDARA KATTADA SEVA SAMITHI R/AT AJJAIANA HATTI VILLAGE, KANCHIPURA POST, MATHOD HOBLI, HOSADURGA TALUK, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT-577121 …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. PHANIRAJ KASHYAP, ADVOCATE) Digitally signed by VANAMALA N Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3896 WP No. 1450 of 2026 AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, VIKASA SOUDH BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER CHITHRADURGA DISTRICT, CHITHRADURGA - 577 501. 3. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE CHITHRADURGA DISTRICT, CHITHRADURGA - 577 501. 4. THE THASILDAR HOSADURGA TALUK, HOSADURGA, CHITHRADURGA DISTRICT - 577 527 5. THE POLICE INSPECTOR HOSADURGA TALUK, HOSADURGA, CHITHRADURGA DISTRICT - 577 527. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. SARITHA KULKARNI, AGA) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO-DIRECT THE R4 AND 5 TO FORTHWITH CONSIDER THE PETITIONERS REPRESENTATION DATED 27.11.2025 (ANNX-D) AND PASS POSITIVE ORDER GRANTING PERMISSIONS TO CONDUCT THE VEERAMARANNASWAMY JATRA/FAIR ON 28.01.2026 TO 03.02.2026; DIRECT THE R2 AND 3 TO ENSURE THAT ADEQUATE POLICE PROTECTION AND SECURITY - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3896 WP No. 1450 of 2026 ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE FOR THE PEACEFUL AND SMOOTH CONDUCT OF THE SAID JATRA. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD ORAL ORDER The petitioners have filed this petition because they assert that they have not had the requisite support from the Executive Magistrate and the Senior Police Officer of the Taluka in holding the Fair [Sri Veeramarannaswamy Devara Kallu Hunime Jathre Mahotsava]. The petitioners, while referring to the multiple proceedings including the proceedings before this Court, have sought for directions to the Jurisdictional Tahsildar and the Jurisdictional Police Inspector to consider the representations to grant permission to hold the Fair between 28.01.2026 and 03.02.2026. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3896 WP No. 1450 of 2026 2. This Court, on 21.01.2026, recording the question1 for consideration has called upon the jurisdictional Police Inspector to place on record why measures as permissible in law cannot be adopted against those who could create law and order situation instead of stopping the conduct of the Fair. This Court has called for such Report with Ms. Saritha Kulkarni, the learned Additional Government Advocate placing on record that the jurisdictional Police Inspector's opinion that [a] the Fair must not be conducted because there have been instances of attempt to murder when the Fair was held during the previous year, and [b] the possibilities of a law and order because some are conspiring to create ruckus. 3. Mr. M. Gopala Naika, the Police Inspector, Chitradurga District [the fifth respondent] and 1 "Whether this Court must accept the fifth respondent's Report and enable a Traditional Fair not to be conducted" - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3896 WP No. 1450 of 2026 Mr. Tirupati Patil, the jurisdictional Tahsildar, are present. Ms. Saritha Kulkarni places on record the fifth respondent's Report, and this Report essentially reads thus. [a] There are rival groups including the petitioner, who insist that the Fair and the services to the deities must be by them. [b] A peace meeting was convened, and only the petitioners participated in such meeting. The rival group headed by a certain Mr. Lokanathappa have refused to participate in the meeting. [c] In the year 2020, there was a rumour that the devotees, who visit the temple could be poisoned. [d] There is a possibility of damages to the property and lives if the Fair is held. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3896 WP No. 1450 of 2026 [e] Though bonds were taken under Section 107 of Cr.P.C on the previous occasion, it have been to no avail. 4. This Court apart from the afore, which essentially indicates the conduct of a few not well disposed towards the conduct of the Fair, nothing is placed on record to indicate that such Fair will be impermissible. Therefore, this Court must opine that the reluctance on the administration to permit the Fair appears to be the conduct of a few who want to be outside the rule of law and that the authorities cannot give into the conduct of such persons, but then the petitioners must also ensure that they do not insist upon performing every act that is traditionally part of the Fair if it is to be held. 5. As such, this Court opines that the Jurisdictional Tahsildar and the Jurisdictional Police Inspector must convene a meeting with the petitioners and advise them on those measures that - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3896 WP No. 1450 of 2026 would be better avoided to help the administration in ensuring that there is no damage to the property or life and the Fair is conducted in a peaceful manner with the reiteration that the jurisdictional Police Inspector must take every preventive measures, including arrests that may be permissible in law and seeking deployment of additional forces to ensure that the Fair is conducted with no untoward incident. In fact, the Jurisdictional Tahsildar only submits that this Court may observe that the petitioners must desist from an evening procession as that could be a difficult period to monitor the situation. Hence, the following ORDER The petition stands disposed of calling upon the petitioners to assist the administration in identifying the measures that must be for the proper conduct of the Fair calling upon the Jurisdictional - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3896 WP No. 1450 of 2026 Tahsildar and the Jurisdictional Police Inspector to take every measure, including measures to secure additional deployment, to ensure that there is no untoward incident during the Fair. SD/- (B M SHYAM PRASAD) JUDGE RB