- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23353 WP No. 12226 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 24TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO. 12226 OF 2026 (S-RES) BETWEEN: SRI NANJUNDE GOWDA B. M., AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, WAS WORKING AS PRINCIPAL, VOKKALIGARA SANGHA INDUSTRIAL TRAINING INSTITUTE, SRIGANDHADA KAVAL, MAGADI MAIN ROAD, BANGALORE – 560 091. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SATISH K., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND LIVELIHOOD, M. S. BUILDING, BANGALORE – 560 001. 2. RAJYA VOKKALIGARA SANGHA, REPRESENTED BY ITS GENERAL SECRETARY, NO. 148, VISHVESHWARAPURA, KRISHNARAJENDRA ROAD, BANGALORE – 560 004. 3. SRI. H. C. SHRINIVASU, FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONER, MAJOR, WORKING AS PRINCIPAL (IN - CHARGE), VOKKALIGARA SANGHA INDUSTRIAL TRAINING INSTITUTE, SRIGANDHADA KAVAL, MAGADI MAIN ROAD, BANGALORE – 560 091. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. S. RAGHUNANDAN, ADVOCATE FOR C/R3; SRI. G. RAMESH NAIK, AGA FOR R1; SRI. SHARATH S. GOWDA, ADVOCATE FOR R3) Digitally signed by CHANDANA B M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23353 WP No. 12226 of 2026 THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE WRIT OR ORDER QUASHING THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 02/03/2026 BEARING NO. RAAOSA/AAADALITHA /1992/2025-26 PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO. 2 (ANNEXUREK) AND IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 07/04/2026 IN APPEAL NO. 01/2025-26 PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO. 1 (ANNEXURE - L), IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR ORAL ORDER In this petition, petitioner seeks the following reliefs: “a) Call for records from the Respondents; b) Issue Writ or Order quashing the impugned Order dated 02.03.2026 bearing No.RaaOSa/AaaDaLiTha/1992/2025-26 passed by the Respondent No.2 (Annexure-K) and impugned Order dated 07.04.2026 in Appeal No.01/2025-26 passed by the Respondent No.1 (Annexure – L), in the interest of justice and equity. c) Consequently Issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the Respondent No.2 to continue the Petitioner as Principal, Vokkaligara Sangha Industrial Institute, Srigandhada Kaval, Magadi Main Road, Bangalore – 560 091, in the interest of justice and equity. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23353 WP No. 12226 of 2026 d) Pass any such other Order which this Hon’ble Court deems fit, including the cost of the Writ Petition, in the interest of justice and equity.” 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner, learned AGA for respondent No.1 and learned counsel for the respondent Nos.2 and 3 and perused the material on record. 3. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that the petitioner is aggrieved by the impugned office order at Annexure -K dated 02.03.2026, whereby the respondent reduced the rank of the petitioner and reverted him from the post of a Principal to the post of a Junior Training Officer. The petitioner is also aggrieved by the impugned order at Annexure-L dated 07.04.2026, whereby the said appeal No.1/2025-26 filed by the petitioner was disposed of by directing the petitioner to file a statutory appeal under Section 94 of the Karnataka Education Act. Aggrieved by the impugned orders at Annexures- K and L dated 02.03.2026 and 07.04.2026, the petitioner is before this Court by way of the present petition. 4. Per contra, learned AGA for respondent No.1 and learned counsel for respondent Nos.2 and 3 would support the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23353 WP No. 12226 of 2026 impugned orders and submit there is no merit in the petition and the same is liable to be dismissed. 5. Though several contentions have been urged by both sides in support of their respective claims, having regard to the material on record which discloses that no opportunity, muchless reasonable or sufficient opportunity had been provided or granted to the petitioner before passing the impugned order at Annexure -K dated 02.03.2026, without expressing any opinion on the merits / de-merits of the rival contentions, I deem it just and appropriate to set aside Annexures- K and L dated 02.03.2026 and 07.04.2026 respectively and remit the matter back to the respondent No.2 for reconsideration afresh in accordance with law. 6. It is also a matter of record that during the pendency of the present petition, the respondent No.2 - Sangha has passed a suspension order dated 18.04.2026 suspending the petitioner from service pending enquiry and the said fact is placed on record. 7. Under the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case, I deem it just and appropriate to allow the petition by issuing certain directions. In the result, I pass the following: - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:23353 WP No. 12226 of 2026 ORDER i) The petition is hereby allowed. ii) The impugned orders dated 02.03.2026 and 07.04.2026 at Annexures- K and L are hereby set aside. iii) The matter is remitted back to respondent No.2 for reconsideration afresh in accordance with law. Sd/- (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE MDS List No.: 3 Sl No.: 4