- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4347 WP No. 38699 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS WRIT PETITION NO. 38699 OF 2025 BETWEEN: SMT. SUMYYA RABBANI W/O SALEEM PASHA AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS R/AT NO. 4224 WARD NO.12 EXTENSION MOHALLA CORPORATION LAYOUT RAMANAGARA TOWN / DISTRICT 562159 (AS PER AC COURT ORDER) R/AT NO. 52, 2ND CROSS, LAKSHMI LAYOUT AREKERE BANERGHATTA ROAD BANGALORE SOUTH BENGALURU 560 076 (AS PER AADHAR CARD) …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SUMATHI PAULINE., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY REVENUE DEPARTMENT MS BUILDING, BENGALURU-560 001. 2. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER RAMANAGARA SUB DIVISION Digitally signed by JUANITA THEJESWINI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4347 WP No. 38699 of 2025 RAMANAGARA DISTRICT BANGALORE SOUTH DISTRICT 562159. 3. THE TAHSILDHAR OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER RAMANAGARA SUB DIVISION RAMANGARA DISTRICT BANGALORE SOUTH DISTRICT 562159 …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. NAVYA SHEKHAR., AGA) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 & 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER DTD PASSED IN LRF NO. LRS 79(A) (b) / RA (102/2015-16 BY THE R2 DTD 30.11.2016 ANNX-ADIRECTING R3 TO CHANGE THE REVENUE ENTRIES IN FAVOUR OF THE PETITIONER. 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 Additional Government Advocate takes notice for the respondents. 2. This writ petition was filed by the petitioner being aggrieved of the order dated 30.11.2016 passed by the 2nd respondent – Assistant Commissioner in LRF 79 - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4347 WP No. 38699 of 2025 (A)(B)/RA (102/2015-2016) in terms of Sections 79A and B of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961. 3. Learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that this is a case where the impugned order of forfeiture has been passed by the Assistant Commissioner without notice to the petitioner. It is further submitted that under similar circumstances, a co-ordinate Bench of this Court in W.P.No.7821/2021 has passed an order dated 16.08.2021 remanding the matter back to the Assistant Commissioner for fresh consideration after affording an opportunity of hearing to the aggrieved person. 4. Learned Additional Government Advocate points out from the impugned order that notice was indeed issued to the petitioner and in spite of notice having been issued, the petitioner did not appear before the Assistant Commissioner. 5. Admittedly, as on the date of the Karnataka Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Act, 2020, no proceedings were pending before any court/authority. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4347 WP No. 38699 of 2025 6. This Court had several occasions to consider such cases, where writ petitions are filed long after the provisions contained in Sections 79A, 79B and 79C were omitted from the statute book in terms of the Karnataka Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Act, 2020. It is the consistent opinion of this Court that if at any rate, the Assistant Commissioner, after forfeiting the land has not disposed of the same in accordance with law then the benefit of the saving clause contained in Section 12 of the Amending Act is required to be given to such petitioners. The Assistant Commissioner is therefore, required to ascertain, whether the declared excess lands or forfeited lands still remain with the State Government or has been granted to third parties. If the lands have been granted to third party, then sub-section(1) of Section 12 of the amending Act will apply to say that the proceedings have reached finality. Or otherwise, sub-section (2) of Section 12 of the Amending Act will apply and all further - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4347 WP No. 38699 of 2025 proceedings shall be declared as abated by the Assistant Commissioner. 7. Having considered the submission of the learned Counsels and on perusing the judgment of the co-ordinate Bench in W.P.No.7821/2021, this Court finds that facts and circumstances in both these matters are quite similar and therefore, the benefit of the decision of the co- ordinate bench should also enure to the petitioner herein. 8. Accordingly, this Court proceeds to pass the following: ORDER i) The writ petition is disposed of. ii) The matter is remanded back to the respondent-Assistant Commissioner to consider the case of the petitioner including the consequences of the subsequent amendment brought to the provisions of Sections 79A and 79B of the Karnataka - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:4347 WP No. 38699 of 2025 Land Reforms Act, 1961 in Karnataka (Second Amendment) Act No.56 of 2020. iii) If revenue entries have been altered pursuant to the impugned order dated 30.11.2016, the same shall be restored in favour of the petitioner. iv) The petitioner shall appear before the respondent-Assistant Commissioner on 13th February, 2026, without waiting for further notice from the Assistant Commissioner. Ordered accordingly. 8. Learned Additional Government Advocate is permitted to file his memo of appearance within a period of four weeks from today. Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE KLY CT: JL