- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3640 WP No. 19185 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 22ND DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD WRIT PETITION NO. 19185 OF 2024 (GM-R/C) BETWEEN: PUTTEGOWDA S/O LATE BASAVEGOWDA @ DEVARA GUDDA BASAVEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, R/O MARAGOWDANAHALLI VILLAGE, ELEVALA HOBLI, MYSURU TALUK 570026. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. MOHAN B.K..,ADVOCATE) AND: 1. COMMISSIONER, HINDU RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND CHATITABLE, ENDOWMENT, BENGALURU MINTO ANJANEYA BHAVAN, 1ST MAIN ROAD, CHAMARAJPET, BANGALORE 560018. Digitally signed by VANAMALA N Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3640 WP No. 19185 of 2024 2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER MYSORE DISTRICT, MYSORE 570001. 3. THE THASILDAR MYSORE TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT 570001. 4. CHIKKADEVARA GUDDEGOWDA S/O DEVARA GUDDA BASAVEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 75 YEARS, R/O MARAGOWDANAHALLI VILLAGE, ELEVALA HOBLI, MYSURU TALUK 570026. 5. BASAVEGOWDA S/O C PUTTEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, PRESIDENT SRI BRAHMESHWARASWAMY AND SRI LAKSHMI TEMPLE TRUST DODDAMARANAGOWDANA HALLI, MYSORE 570026. 6. YAJAMAN MAHADEV S/O BASAVEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS, CORROSPONDENT AND MEMBER SRI BRAHMESHWARASWAMY AND SRI LAKSHMI TEMPLE TRUST DODDAMARANAGOWDANA HALLI, MYSORE 570026. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3640 WP No. 19185 of 2024 7. SATISH @ SATISH KUMAR S/O LATE KRISNE GOWDA GRANDSON OF CHIKKADEVARU GUDDEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, 8. RAVICHANDRA S/O BASAVARAJU AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, 9. BASAVEGOWDA S/O BASAVEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 61 YEARS, 10. SRI PRAKASH S/O SHIVANNA AGED ABOUT 20 YEARS, RES 7 TO 10 ALL ARE R/O MARAGOWDANAHALLI VILLAGE, ELEVALA HOBLI, MYSURU TALUK 570026. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT.SARITHA KULKARNI., AGA FOR R1 TO R3; SRI. NARAYAN S., ADVOCATE FOR R5 & R6; SRI. PRASANNA V R., ADVOCATE FOR R4 & R7) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDERS DATED - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3640 WP No. 19185 of 2024 21.03.2024 PASSED BY 1ST RESPONDENT IN CASE NO.ADM 7/AP 17/2023-2024 ANNEXURE-A. CONFIRM THE ORDER OF THE 2ND RESPONDENT DATED 06.06.2023 PASSED IN DVS/1/SIBBANDI/CR/08/2016-17 ANNEXURE-B BY ALLOWING THIS PETITION. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD ORAL ORDER The petitioner has called in question the first respondent's order dated 21.03.2024 [Annexure-A] in an appeal under Section 25B[7] of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997 [for short, 'the Act']. The first respondent's order is as against the second respondent's order dated 06.06.2023. The first respondent has interfered with the second respondent's afore order to restore the proceedings for reconsideration holding that he affirms the - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3640 WP No. 19185 of 2024 jurisdictional Tahsildar's finding that the constitution of the Trust is illegal and action should be taken against those who have illegally constituted this Trust. In terms of the interim order granted by this Court on 07.08.2024, the petitioner continues to officiate as the Archak of the Temples [Sri Mahalakshmi Devi and Sri Beeradevara Temples] at Doddamaragowdanahalli, Elavala Hobli, Mysuru Taluk. 2. Sri Mohan B K, the learned counsel for the petitioner, and Sri Prasanna V R, the learned counsel for the private respondents [excluding the fifth and sixth respondents], propose to elaborate on the jurisdiction under the Act to decide on the legality or otherwise of the constitution of the Trust and the petitioner's participation therein as a condition that would disqualify or disentitle him from being the Archak of the Temples, but after an elaborate hearing, both the learned counsels suggest that the - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3640 WP No. 19185 of 2024 petitioner's entitlement to be the Archak of the Temple could be considered by the second respondent in the remanded proceedings on grounds other than the alleged participation in the constitution of the Trust with Sri Prasanna V R emphasizing that this Court must observe that the petitioner should not be entitled to claim any equity because he has been officiating as the Archak of the Temples pursuant to this Court's interim order. 3. This Court must record a consensus on the willingness of the parties to participate in the proceedings with the second respondent for a decision on the petitioner's entitlement to be appointed as Archak of the Temples on grounds other than the participation in the constitution of the Trust. Therefore, the petition must be disposed of directing the second respondent to decide on whether the petitioner must be appointed as the Archak or anybody else should be, and the second respondent - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3640 WP No. 19185 of 2024 must consider the same independent of the petitioner's participation in the constitution of the Trust with appropriate stipulations on the date for first appearance and expeditious disposal of the petition. Smt Saritha Kulkarni, the learned Additional Government Advocate, is heard in the afore context, and as such, the following: ORDER [a] The petition stands disposed of calling upon the second respondent notwithstanding certain observations by the first respondent on the legality or otherwise in the constitution of the Trust or the petitioner's participation therein, to decide on the petitioner's claim as well as the claim of any other to be appointed as the Archak of the Temples, leaving open all other contentions for consideration. [b] The petitioner and the private respondents who are served shall appear in the - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3640 WP No. 19185 of 2024 proceedings with the second respondent on 16.02.2026 without further notice. [c] The second respondent is called upon to dispose of these proceedings as expeditiously as possible but after due service to all the respondents concerned. [d] The second respondent shall endeavor to dispose of these proceedings before 30.07.2026. It is needless to observe that the petitioner, until the final outcome in the remanded proceedings, shall continue to officiate as 'Archak' of the Temples but without claiming any equity. Sd/- (B M SHYAM PRASAD) JUDGE AN/-