- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21463-DB WP No. 22318 of 2024 C/W WP No. 8637 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 17TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND WRIT PETITION No. 22318 OF 2024 (S-KSAT) C/W WRIT PETITION No. 8637 OF 2023 (S-KSAT) IN WP No. 22318/2024 BETWEEN: 1. THE KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA, REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR, M S BUILDING, DR B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU - 560001. 2. THE ADDITIONAL REGISTRAR OF ENQUIRIES -10, KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA, DR B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU - 560001. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI MADHU KIRAN JAGGA, ADVOCATE FOR SRI JOSEPH ANTHONY, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, (SERVICES - A), Digitally signed by VINUTHA B S Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21463-DB WP No. 22318 of 2024 C/W WP No. 8637 of 2023 M S BUILDING, BENGALURU - 560001. 2. SRI JAYARAM, AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, S/O LATE SRI.KEMPEGOWDA, WORKING AS ASSISTANT ENGINEER, AT THE OFFICE AT HARANGI CANAL, SUB DIVISION, KONANURU, ARAKALGUDU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT, RESIDING AT No.76, SHIMSHA ROAD, GURURAJ LAYOUT, MYSORE. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI V. SHIVAREDDY, AGA FOR R1; SRI SATISH K., ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING ALLOW THIS WRIT PETITION, BY CONSEQUENTLY ISSUING A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO QUASH THE ORDER DATED 21/02/2023 IN APPLICATION No.3335/2022 PASSED BY THE HON'BLE KARNATAKA ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL AT BANGALORE (ANNEXURE-A). IN WP No. 8637/2023 BETWEEN: 1. THE KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTHA, REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR, M. S. BUILDING, DR. AMBEDKAR VEEDI, BENGALURU-560001. 2. THE ADDITIONAL REGISTRAR OF ENQUIRIES-10, KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA, M. S. BUILDING, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21463-DB WP No. 22318 of 2024 C/W WP No. 8637 of 2023 DR. AMBEDKAR VEEDI, BENGALURU-560001. ...PETITIONERS (BY SRI K PRASANNA SHETTY, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. SRI. K H VENKATESH, S/O K T HANUMEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 63 YEARS, RETIRED JUNIOR ENGINEER, R/AT KARTHAL MAIN ROAD, KERALAPURA, ARAKALGUD TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT-573136. 2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT (SERVICE-A), M. S. BUILDING, BENGALURU-560001. ...RESPONDENTS (BY SRI V. SHIVAREDDY, AGA FOR R2) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO PRAYING TO QUASHING/ SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 02.09.2021 PASSED IN A.No-1349/2021 PASSED BY THE HONBLE KSAT BENGALURU (ANNEXURE-B). THESE PETITIONS COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21463-DB WP No. 22318 of 2024 C/W WP No. 8637 of 2023 ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT) W.P. No.22318/2024 is filed questioning the order dated 21.02.2023 in Application No.3335/2022 whereunder, respondent No.2's application questioning Articles of Charge dated 10.06.2020 bearing No.UpaLok-2/DE/26/2020/ARE-10 (Annexure-A4) and order of entrustment dated 19.12.2019 (Annexure-A3) are quashed placing reliance on the decision of the Tribunal in Application No.2771/2021 dated 20.07.2022. 2. In W.P. No.8637/2023, the petitioners-Lokayukta authorities are before this Court questioning the order dated 02.09.2021 in Application No.1349/2021 whereunder respondent No.1's application questioning the entrustment of enquiry to petitioners dated 19.12.2019 (Annexure-A3) and Articles of Charge bearing No.UpaLok-2/DE/26/2020/ARE-10 dated 10.06.2020 (Annexure-A4) are quashed holding that the charges are barred by Rule No.214(2)(b)(ii) of Karnataka Civil Service Rules. 3. Heard learned counsel Sri.Madhu Kiran Jagga for learned counsel Sri. Joseph Anthony for petitioners, learned - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21463-DB WP No. 22318 of 2024 C/W WP No. 8637 of 2023 AGA Sri. V. Shivareddy for respondent No.1, learned counsel Sri. K. Satish for respondent No.2 in W.P. No.22318/2024, learned counsel Sri.K. Prasanna Shetty for petitioners and learned AGA Sri. V. Shivareddy for respondent No.2 in W.P. No.8637/2023. Perused the entire writ petition papers. 4. Since, in both the above writ petitions, common articles of charge dated 10.06.2020 were questioned before the Tribunal, both the petitions are taken together and disposed of by this common order. 5. Common articles of charge dated 10.06.2020 (Annexure-A4), issued against 9 DGOs, were questioned by petitioners before the Tribunal. One of the DGOs, Smt. K.H. Mohana, Assistant Engineer filed Application No.2771/2021 and the said application was allowed by order dated 20.07.2022 quashing the articles of charge. The said order of the Tribunal was the subject matter of W.P. No.19812/2023 at the instance of the petitioners-Lokayuktha. This Court by order dated 23.06.2025, rejected the petition for the reasons stated therein. These two writ petitions also arise out of identical orders passed by the Tribunal, quashing the same articles of - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21463-DB WP No. 22318 of 2024 C/W WP No. 8637 of 2023 charge dated 10.06.2020. Therefore, we deem it appropriate to dispose of the above writ petitions in terms of the order dated 23.06.2025 in W.P. No.19812/2023. 7. Accordingly, both the writ petitions stand disposed of. Sd/- (S.G.PANDIT) JUDGE Sd/- (K. V. ARAVIND) JUDGE VBS List No.: 2 Sl No.: 6