Two writ petitions challenged the Karnataka State Film Awards-2014: one sought the Best Children Film Award for 'Billion Dollar Baby' over 'Banaadi', the other attacked the Advisory Committee's constitution. The Court held it cannot substitute its view for an expert body absent arbitrariness and dismissed both petitions.
This page shows the compact analysis of this judgement. The full analysis — procedural history, issue-by-issue holdings with ratio and obiter, advocates, and paragraph-level evidence for every claim — is being added to the record in batches and will appear here when this judgement has been through it.
NC: 2025:KHC:44291 WP No. 12146 of 2016 C/W WP No. 29972 of 2016
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 04TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE E.S.INDIRESH WRIT PETITION NO.12146 OF 2016 (GM-RES) C/W
WRIT PETITION NO.29972 OF 2016
IN WP No. 12146/2016
BETWEEN:
Digitally signed by ARUNKUMAR M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
NC: 2025:KHC:44291 WP No. 12146 of 2016 C/W WP No. 29972 of 2016
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…PETITIONERS
(BY SRI. K.N. NITISH, ADVOCATE FOR SRI. K.V. NARASIMHAN, ADVOCATE) AND:
NC: 2025:KHC:44291 WP No. 12146 of 2016 C/W WP No. 29972 of 2016
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…RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI. MAHANTESH SHETTAR, AGA FOR R1 & R2; SRI. D. ASWATHAPPA, ADVOCATE R3 AND R4)
THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED AWARD LIST AT ANNEXURE-R PUBLISHED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.1 TO THE EXTENT THAT "BEST CHILDREN FILM AWARD" IS DECLARED TO BE AWARDED TO MOVIE "BANAADI"; AND ETC.
IN WP NO. 29972/2016
BETWEEN:
...PETITIONER
(BY SRI. SUNIL KUMAR S., ADVOCATE)
AND:
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GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF KANNADA CULTURE AND INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING DEPARTMENT, KANNADA BHAVAN, J C ROAD, BENGALURU - 560002.
FOR KARNATAKA FILM AWARDS - 2014, FILM DIRECTORT - PRESIDENT AGE MAJOR, # 17, VAARTA SOUDHA, BHAGAVAN MAHAVEER ROAD, BENGALURU - 560001.
NC: 2025:KHC:44291 WP No. 12146 of 2016 C/W WP No. 29972 of 2016
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17, VAARTA SOUDHA, BHAGAVAN MAHAVEER ROAD, BENGALURU - 560001.
...RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI. MAHANTESH SHETTAR, AGA FOR R1 TO 3 & R12; R4 TO R11 - PETITION STANDS DISMISSED V/O DATED 01.04.2022)
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THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH RESPONDENT NO.1 ORDER DATED 07-12-2015 IN ANNEXURE-A, BY WHICH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE 2014 STATE FILM AWARDS HAD BEEN CONSTITUTED; AND ETC.
THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE E.S.INDIRESH
ORAL ORDER
In W.P.No.12146 of 2016, the petitioners are
assailing impugned award list produced at Annexure-R published by the respondent No.1, to the extent that "Best Children Film Award" is declared to be awarded to movie "Banaadi" is illegal inter-alia sought for a direction to the respondent-State to award the "Best Children Film Award" to the movie " Billion Dollar Baby" directed by the petitioner No.2, and produced by the petitioner No.1.
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5. In W.P.No.12146 of 2016, Sri. K.N. Nitish,
learned counsel for the petitioners contended that, the Committee constituted for awarding film award, for the year 2014 was misguided and has selected the best children film -'Banaadi', which secured total 66 marks from the members of the Committee, however, the film produced and directed by the petitioners, - 'Billion Dollar Baby' had secured 42 marks. It is the grievance of the petitioners that the selection process was not conducted properly and that the Committee failed to appreciate the merit of their film. Accordingly, they sought interference by this Court in the selection and award process.
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award movie for the year 2014, is incorrect and
therefore, sought for interference of this Court.
Additional Government Advocate appearing for the respondent-State, submitted that the Committee was duly constituted by the State Government in accordance with the Film Policy, 2011 (Chalana Chitra Neeti). The members of the Committee were experts
and renowned personalities in the field of cinema, and the selection of the Best Children’s Film was made after a proper evaluation of all eligible entries.
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is limited only to examining the decision-making proces s , not the decision itself.
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the members of the Committee, and therefore, the petitions deserve to be dismissed.
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to suggest that the process adopted by the Committee was arbitrary, biased, or contrary to the prescribed policy. The composition of the Committee and its
evaluation process appears to be in accordance with law.
Sd/(E.S.INDIRESH) JUDGE
SB List No.: 1 Sl No.: 18
2 issues framed by the court
Whether the High Court under Article 226 can interfere with an expert committee's selection of the Best Children Film Award for 2014.
Whether the constitution of the Advisory Committee for the 2014 State Film Awards was invalid.
1 provisions across 1 enactments
Shri. Sai Balaji Combines (represented by its managing partner Sri G. Dinakar)
Ms. G. Shriya Dinakar
State of Karnataka, by Secretary, Department of Information
Advisory Committee to the Government of Karnataka for Karnataka State Film Awards-2014
Dhruti M. Nagaraju
Sri. Nagaraja Kote
E.S. Indiresh
As recorded by the court registry
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court