- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1397 WP No. 108125 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 2ND DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI WRIT PETITION NO.108125 OF 2025 (CS-RES) BETWEEN: 1. SHIVAPPA S/O. BASALINGAPPA GURIKAR, AGE: 62 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. # 212, KHB COLONY, 2ND CROSS, MEDLERI ROAD, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 2. RUDRAMUNI S/O. SHIVAYOGAPPA YELI, AGE: 75 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. # 1146, SAJJANASHETTAR BUILDING, MRUTYUNJAY NAGAR, UPSTAIRS BANK COLONY, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 3. SHIVANANDAPPA S/O. NAGAPPA SONDUR, AGE: 67 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. VAGEESH NAGAR, 3RD CROSS, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 4. MANOHAR S/O. SHIVAPPA DHAVALAGI, AGE: 60 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. # 799, HUGGLYAVAR STREET, ANTARAVALLI ROAD, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 5. BASAVARAJ S/O. MALLAREPPA BADIGER, AGE: 61 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. TEREDAHALLI VILLAGE, POST: MALLUR-581106, TQ: BYADAGI, DIST: HAVERI. 6. RAJU S/O. LAXMAN KAMBLE, AGE: 50 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. SHREE. KUKKESHREE PETROLEUM, HALAGERI ROAD, OPP. GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL, NEAR BEERESHWAR TEMPLE, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. Digitally signed by YASHAVANT NARAYANKAR Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1397 WP No. 108125 of 2025 7. NAGARAJ S.GOLASANGI, AGE: 52 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. MUDENUR VILLAGE, RANEBENNUR-581123, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 8. S.K. RAVISHANKAR, AGE: 51 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. # 883/D, PLOT.NO.15 POORNA KAMALA, 2ND CROSS, BANASHANKARI NAGAR, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 9. BASAVARAJ S/O. BHIMAPPA TALAWAR, AGE: 46 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. C/O. OM LABORATORY & OM HOSPITAL, MEDLERI ROAD, HIREGOUDAR COMPLEX, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 10. GUTTEPPA S/O. RAMAPPA HARIJAN, AGE: 51 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. # 789, SRI. RENUKAMBA NILAYA, 7TH CROSS, CHOUDESHWARI BADAWANE, MEDLERI ROAD, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 11. SHIVANAND S/O. CHANNABASAPPA SUNAGAR, AGE: 59 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. MALATESH NILAYA, 8TH MAIN, 6TH CROSS, MRUTHUNJAY NAGAR, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 12. GANESH S/O. GUDDAPPA SIDDAL, AGE: 38 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. AREMALLAPUR VILLAGE, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 13. BASAVARAJ S/O. REVANASIDDAPPA MEGALGERI, AGE: 40 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. VADERAYANAHALLI VILLAGE, HAVERI-581145, TQ: AND DIST: HAVERI. 14. NARAYAN S/O. SANGAPPA JAKANUR, AGE: 54 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. NISARGA NILAYA, VINAYAKA NAGAR, 2ND CROSS, RANEBENNUR-581115, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1397 WP No. 108125 of 2025 TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 15. KIRANKUMAR S/O. MALLIKARJUN ANGADI, AGE: 46 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. ASHOK NAGAR, 2ND CROSS, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 16. KIRANKUMAR ANTARAVALLI, AGE: 33 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. VIKAS NAGAR, 1ST MAIN. 3RD CROSS, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 17. RAJEEV S/O. VEERANAGOUDA GALER, AGE: 54 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. RAJESHWARI NAGAR, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 18. JAGADISH S/O. MALLESHAPPA YALIGAR, AGE: 47 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. NEAR KUDUPALI ADVOCATE HOUSE, GOURISHANKAR NAGAR, 1ST MAIN, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 19. NANDEESH R. S/O. RAMAPPA S., AGE: 40 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. #792/3, SHRI. BANASHANKARI NILAYA, BEHIND VEERABHADRESHWARA TEMPLE, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 20. AMOGH S/O. CHANNABASAPPA BADAMI, AGE: 34 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. VIKAS NAGAR, 1ST MAIN, 1ST CROSS, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 21. UMESHAPPA S/O. LATE SANNAVIRAPPA TALUR, AGE: 65 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. VAGEESH NAGAR, 3RD CROSS, PLOT.NO.8, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. 22. SANGANABASAPPA S/O. NAGAPPA SHETTAR, AGE: 55 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O VAGEESH NAGAR, 7TH CROSS, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1397 WP No. 108125 of 2025 24. MALATESH S/O. NINGAPPA BANGALI, AGE: 46 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O. AREMALLAPUR VILLAGE, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SAJID AHMED GOODWALA, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, RPTD BY ITS PRL. SECRETARY, DEPT. OF REGISTRATION OF SOCIETIES, M.S. BUILDING, DR.AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560001. 2. THE DISTRICT REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES & OFFICE OF DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE BHAVAN, DAVAGIRI, HAVERI-581110, TQ AND DIST: HAVERI. 3. THE MAHATMA GANDHI EDUCATION SOCIETY (R) RANEBENNUR, SPONSORED BY LIONS CLUB OF RANEBENNUR MEDLERI ROAD, RANEBENNUR-581115, TQ: RANEBENNUR, DIST: HAVERI, REPRESENTED BY SECRETARY. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. T. HANUMAREDDY, ADDL. GOVT. ADVOCATE FOR R1 AND R2; SRI. HARSHAWARDHAN M.PATIL, ADVOCATE FOR R3) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO, A) ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF CERTIORARI BY QUASHING THE IMPUGNED ENDORSEMENT DATED 12/9/2025 BRG NO.OONIHA/SOR/DOORU/2025-26 ISSUED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.2 VIDE ANNEXURE-G, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. B) ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS BY DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT NO.2 TO CONDUCT THE ENQUIRY AND AFFORD OPPORTUNITY OF HEARING AS PER SECTION.25 OF THE KARNATAKA SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT, 1960 AND PASS APPROPRIATE ORDER, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. C) ISSUE SUCH OTHER SUITABLE ORDER AS THIS HON’BLE COURT DEEMS FIT AND PROPER IN THE NATURE AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1397 WP No. 108125 of 2025 THIS WRIT PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI ORAL ORDER The present writ petition is filed seeking for the following prayer: “A) Issue a Writ in the nature of Certiorari by quashing the impugned Endorsement dtd: 12/9/2025 brg No.OoNiHa/SOR/Dooru/2025-26 issued by the Respondent No.2 vide ANNEXURE-G, in the interest of justice and equity. B) Issue a Writ in the nature of Mandamus by directing the Respondent No.2 to conduct the enquiry and afford opportunity of hearing as per Section.25 of the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960 and pass appropriate order, in the interest of justice and equity. C) Issue such other suitable order as this Hon’ble Court deems fit and proper in the nature and circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice and equity.” 2. Respondent No.3 is a private society i.e.The Mahatma Gandhi Educational Society, Ranebennur. The grievance of the petitioners is that, by the order impugned, respondent No.2 had issued an endorsement stating that the petitioners have not provided information to the society regarding the payment of the membership fee within the - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1397 WP No. 108125 of 2025 stipulated time. Furthermore, the applications or forms seeking membership or other documents have not been provided in accordance with the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960. Also, no documents have been provided regarding being the active members of the Lions Club, Ranebennur. Therefore, at this stage, it is not possible to consider the petitioners as the members of the society. After becoming the members they can resume and obtain the society's account at the society's level. If the petitioners feel any injustice has been done, they can file a case with a Competent Authority and seek redress and the applications are concluded at this stage. Questioning this, the present writ petition is filed. 3. This Court is not able to understand how a mandamus can be sought against respondent No.3 when the order itself provides that the petitioners may seek redressal before the Competent Authority and without availing of such remedy, they have approached this Court by filing the present writ petition. The relief as sought against respondent No.3 which is a private society/educational society is not maintainable before this Court. If the petitioners are aggrieved by any of the actions - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1397 WP No. 108125 of 2025 of respondent No.3 and any remedy is provided to the petitioners, they are at liberty to avail the same. Hence, this Court is passing the following: ORDER (i) Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of giving liberty to the petitioners to avail the appropriate remedy under law. (ii) All I.As. in this writ petition shall stand closed. Sd/- JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI RH CT: UMD List No.: 1 Sl No.: 6