- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2209-DB CCC No. 973 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 14TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 973 OF 2025 BETWEEN: 1. DR. PRAKASH S BILEBAL S/O LATE SHIVAPPA AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS R/AT C/O R.V. NAIDU NO.2222, KUMBAR ONI HUBBLI - 580 020 2. DR. K. SHANMUKHAPPA S/O K. NAVALAPPA AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS R/O SHRIDHARAFADDE (POST) BELLAI TQ & DT. - 583 103 …COMPLAINANTS (BY SRI MALLIKARJUNA G. CONTRACTOR., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. SRI. GAURAV GUPTS, I.A.S., ADDL. CHIEF SECRETARY STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPT. OF PERSONAL & ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS VIDHANASOUDHA BANGALORE - 560 001 Digitally signed by SRIDEVI S Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2209-DB CCC No. 973 of 2025 2. SRI DR. K. G. JAGADEESHA, I.A.S. PRINCIPAL SECRETARY DEPT., OF HIGHER EDUCATION M. S. BUILDING BANGALORE - 560 001 3. PROF. NAVEEN KUMAR S.K. REGISTRAR KARNATAKA STATE OPEN UNIVERSITY MUKTHAGANGOTHRI MYSORE - 570 006 …ACCUSED 4. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF PERSONAL AND ADMIN VIDHANA SOUDHA BENGALURU …PRO FORMA RESPONDENT (BY SRI S.H. RAGHAVENDRA, AGA FOR ACCUSED No.-1, 2 & 4 SRI B.R. MANJUNATH, ADVOCATE FOR ACCUSED No.3) THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, PRAYING TO SECURE THE PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF THE ACCUSED NO.1 TO 3 BEFORE THIS HON'BLE COURT ON ALL THE DATE OF HEARING AND PUNISH THEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONTEMPT OF COURT ACT, FOR HAVING BEEN SHOWN WILLFUL AND DELIBERATE DISOBEDIENCE OF THE ORDER DATE 01.04.2025 PASSED IN W.P.NO.4972/2024 (S-RES) PASSED BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE OF THIS HON'BLE COURT AT ANNEXUR-A AND AWARD THE COST OF THIS PROCEEDING & ETC. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2209-DB CCC No. 973 of 2025 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE) 1. The complainant has filed the present complaint alleging willful disobedience of the order dated 01.04.2025 passed by the learned Single Judge of this Court in WP.No.4972/2024 (S-RES). The complainant had filed the said with petition challenging the notification dated 16.08.2023. 2. The respondent had contended that the petition had become infructuous as the notification dated 16.08.2023 had spent itself. However, the respondent had also sought permission to conclude the recruitment process and was granted three (03) months time to issue a fresh notification and conclude the recruitment process. Apparently, the fresh notification has not been issued and therefore the respondent is unable to conclude the recruitment process. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2209-DB CCC No. 973 of 2025 3. The learned counsel for the accused has stated that a proposal has been sent to the Principal Secretary to identify the roster points for the posts sanctioned for the University and, a fresh recruitment shall take place after determining the roster points. 4. We are unable to accept that there is any willful disobedience to the order passed by this Court. 5. Complaint is accordingly closed. Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE SD List No.: 2 Sl No.: 11