- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:17053 WP No. 8995 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO. 8995 OF 2026 (S-RES) BETWEEN: 1. SHRI N. RAVINDRA KUMAR DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FOREST (DCF) - BENGALURU URBAN S/O P. NAGARAJU, AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS, AT NO.922, 1ST STAGE, SRI RAMA NILAYA, VIVEKANANDA NAGARA, MYSORE, KARNATAKA – 570 022, AADHAR IDENTITY: 8853 7590 2857 2. SHRI PAREESHWANTH S. VARUR DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FOREST (DCF) S/O SHIVAPPA B. VARUR, AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS, AT PLOT NO. 54, VINDYAGIRI, VINAYAK NAGAR, 1ST CROSS, SHASTRI NAGAR, DHARWAD, KARNATAKA – 580 008, AADHAR IDENTITY: 5168 3167 4459, 3. SHRI SATHISHCHANDRA H. C., DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FOREST (DCF) - SHIVAMOGGA S/O N. CHINNE GOWDA, AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS,, AT AKSHARAM, C-BLOCK, BHARGAVI PETROL BUNK, GOPALA GOWDA EXTENSION, SHIVMOGA, KARNATAKA – 577 205, AADHAR IDENTITY: 3688 5965 4036 4. SHRI DEVRAJU V., DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FOREST (DCF) - Digitally signed by CHANDANA B M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:17053 WP No. 8995 of 2026 TUMAKURU S/O Y. C. VEERANNA, AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS, AT NO.164, UPKAR LAYOUT, ULALLU, BENGALURU KARNATAKA – 560 091, AADHAR IDENTITY AS 9714 3080 7923. 5. SHRI LINGARAJA G. C. DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FOREST (DCF) S/O K. G. CHANDRAPPA, AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS, AT NO.101, MANAR SORRENTO, SITE NO. 92, 3RD CROSS, 36TH MAIN, BTM LAYOUT, 1ST STAGE, BENGALURU, KARNATAKA – 560 068, AADHAR IDENTITY 5734 6062 1017 …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. HARISH VASHISTH, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. UNION OF INDIA THROUGH THE SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE PARYAVARAN BHAVAN, NEW DELHI – 110 001 2. STATE OF KARNATAKA THROUGH ITS CHIEF SECRETARY, M.S BUILDING, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, ASHOK NAGAR, BENGALURU – 560 001 3. PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS (HOFF) DEPARTMENT OF FOREST AND WILDLIFE, ARANYA BHAVAN, MALLESHWARAM, BENGALURU – 560 003 4. UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (UPSC) REPRESENTED THROUGH SECRETARY DHOLPUR HOUSE, NEW DELHI – 110 069 5. DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING (DOPT) THROUGH ITS SECRETARY, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:17053 WP No. 8995 of 2026 GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, NORTH BLOCK, NEW DELHI – 110 001 6. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE, THROUGH ITS SECRETARY, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, PARYAVARAN BHAVAN, NEW DELHI – 110 001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. B.M. KUSHALAPPA, CGC FOR R1, R5 & R3; SMT. SARITHA KULKARNI, AGA FOR R2 & R3) THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI, OR OF ANY NATURE THAT THIS HONBLE COURT MAY DEEM FIT, TO QUASH THE SENIORITY-CUM-ELIGIBILITY LIST DRAWN BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE FOR PROMOTION OF STATE FOREST OFFICERS, TO INDIAN FOREST OFFICERS, VIDE THE PCCFS LETTER DATED 14.03.2024 NO.KED/HOFF/A1(IFS)31/2022- PNR-KFD, ANNEXURE-A, EITHER WHOLE, OR MERELY AND ONLY TO EXTENT THAT IT EXCLUDES THE SIX PETITIONERS FROM ELIGIBILITY OF INDIAN FOREST SERVICES SELECT LIST 2021-2024 ANNX-A IN SO FAR AS THE PETITIONER IS CONCERNED AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR ORAL ORDER In this petition, petitioners seek the following reliefs: “a) Issue a Writ of Certiorari, or of any nature that this Hon’ble Court may deem fit, to quash the seniority- cum-eligibility list drawn by the Select Committee for promotion of State Forest Officers, to Indian Forest Officers, vide the PCCF’s letter dated 14.03.2024 - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:17053 WP No. 8995 of 2026 No.KED/MOFF/A1(IFS)31/2022-PnR-KFD Annexure- A, either whole, or merely and only to extent that it excludes the six petitioners from eligibility of Indian Forest Services Select List 2021-24; in so far as petitioner is concerned. (ii) Issue a Writ of Certiorari or of any nature that this Hon’ble Court may deem fit, to quash the MoEF&CC clarification No.17013/01/2025-IFS-II, dated 05.01.2026 vide Annexure – G as ultra-vires to Rule 2(g)(i), of the IFS (Recruitment) Rules, 1966 and Article 141, of the Constitution of India; (iii) Issue a Writ of Mandamus, or of any nature that this Hon’ble Court may deem fit, to direct the Respondent State, to treat each petitioner’s State Forest Service from their respective Range Forest Officer appointment date (or at minimum from 17.06.2024 under Rule 32 ACF) as continuous qualifying SFS service, under Regulation 5(2) of the Regulations, 1966; Annexure-J. (iv) Issue a Writ of Mandamus or of any nature that this Hon’ble Court may deem fit, to directing UPSC to constitute Review SCM for each of Select Lists 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, with correct eligibility criteria and the correct combined SFS seniority list; (v) Issue a Writ of Mandamus, or of any nature that this Hon’ble Court may deem fit, to direct the respondents for placement of the petitioner(s) in appropriate Select - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:17053 WP No. 8995 of 2026 List with national seniority, if senior and eligible under any select lists from 2021 through 2024, assessed by UPSC, and without prejudice to any disbursements to any third parties; (vi) Issue a Writ Mandamus, or of any nature that this Hon’ble Court may deem fit, to direct the respondents for national placement in IFS from the date, either batch colleagues or juniors are placed in the Select List, with re-fixation of last drawn pay on national IFS pay scale, with revised pension, gratuity, communication of pension, or any encachment on refined pay at IFS scale; (vii) Issue a Writ of Mandamus or of any nature that this Hon’ble Court may deem fit, to direct the respondent state to include the service as Karnataka RFO under Rule 2(g)(i), of the Rules, 1966 by virtue of the Recruitment Rules, 2003 (Schedule-I) and the G.O. DPAR 47 SDE 814; (viii) Issue a Writ of Mandamus, or of any nature that this Hon’ble Court may deem fit, to direct the state government to include Rule 32, ACF Service amounting to ‘officiating service’ within the third proviso to Regulation 5(2) of the Regulation, 1966.” 2. After arguing the matter for sometime, learned counsel for the petitioner seeks permission to withdraw the petition with liberty to take recourse to such remedies as available in law - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:17053 WP No. 8995 of 2026 including approaching the Central Administrative Tribunal or the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal, Bengaluru. 3. The aforesaid memo is placed on record. 4. Accordingly, the petition stands disposed of as withdrawn reserving liberty in favour of the petitioner to take recourse to such remedy as available in law including approaching the Central Administrative Tribunal or the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal, Bengaluru. 5. If the petitioner files such a petition/application within a period of 6 weeks from today, petitioner will be entitled to benefit of Section 14 of Limitation Act, 1963. 6. Subject to the aforesaid liberty, the petition stand disposed of. Sd/- (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE MDS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 12