Raghu R Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2025)

Raghu R Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Direction to Respondent No.2 to proceed further in consonance with the seniority list and in accordance with law.

Issue for consideration

Whether a writ of mandamus should issue directing Respondent No.2 to issue clarifications/instructions as to the placement of the petitioners prior to Respondent No.3 promoting from among the 129 employees placed above the petitioners. +1 more

Court's answer

The writ petition is disposed of with a direction to Respondent No.2 to proceed further in consonance with the seniority list and in accordance with law.

Ratio / Principle

In view of the disposal of the petition, the pending interlocutory application (I.A.) does not survive for consideration and pales into insignificance.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ Petition No. 15841 of 2025 (S-KSRTC), High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (Pradeep Singh Yerur J.; order dated 17.09.2025): Five petitioners (Raghu R, Sreedhar C, Suresha M, Naveen B R and Dilip R), selected as Artisan Grade-III Mechanics in KSRTC/NEKRTC and on completion of probation transferred to BMTC, sought a mandamus directing Respondent No.2 (KSRTC) to issue clarifications/instructions on their placement in the BMTC seniority list before Respondent No.3 (BMTC) promoted from among the 129 employees shown above them in the final seniority list dated 7.5.2025. Their grievance rested on a status letter dated 21.01.2019 fixing their serial positions, KSRTC Circular dated 13.1.2023 extending KSRTC service conditions to employees transferred to BMTC/NWKRTC/NEKRTC, denial of the parity granted to similarly placed employee Naveen G.N. on 23.5.2024, and a provisional seniority list dated 2.1.2025 placing later-appointed employees above them; an Endorsement dated 5.5.2025 recorded that clarification had been sought from KSRTC. During pendency, KSRTC issued clarifications dated 17.6.2025 (Annexure-S) and BMTC published a final seniority list dated 28.8.2025, whereupon the petitioners filed a memo of no objection to disposal. The Court disposed of the writ petition with a direction to Respondent No.2 to proceed further in consonance with the seniority list and in accordance with law, observing that the pending I.A. did not survive for consideration.

Procedural history

How this case reached the court

AI extract

Order under challenge
Final seniority list dated 7.5.2025 showing 129 employees above the petitioners, on the basis of which Respondent No.3/BMTC decided to grant promotions¶46
Respondent No.3 - Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) · 07.05.2025
Prior proceeding
Petitioners were selected as Artisan Grade-III Mechanics and reported to duty in respondent-KSRTC/NEKRTC; upon completion of probationary period they were transferred to BMTC.¶38
Prior proceeding
Respondent No.3 issued a status letter dated 21.01.2019 showing the names of transferred employees, in which petitioner Nos.1 to 4 are shown at serial nos.2, 4, 5 and 8; petitioner No.5 was transferred subsequently and his name is not reflected in the said letter.¶41
Prior proceeding
Pursuant to directions of the Government of Karnataka, Respondent No.2/KSRTC issued a Circular dated 13.1.2023 stating that service conditions applicable to KSRTC would apply to transferred employees in BMTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC.¶42
Prior proceeding
On 23.5.2024 BMTC granted seniority to the similarly placed employee Naveen G.N. (serial No.1 in the status letter, placed at Sl.No.84 in the final BMTC seniority list); the same was denied to the petitioners.¶42
Prior proceeding
On 2.1.2025 the Respondent/BMTC published a provisional seniority list placing all employees of BMTC appointed subsequent to the petitioners above the names of the petitioners, though the petitioners were appointed earlier.¶43
Prior proceeding
The petitioners filed objections to the provisional seniority list.¶43
Prior proceeding
Respondent No.3/BMTC issued an Endorsement dated 5.5.2025 stating that clarification had been sought from Respondent No.2/KSRTC and the petitioners' case would be considered after receipt of clarification.¶46
Prior proceeding
In the final seniority list dated 7.5.2025, 129 employees were shown above the petitioners.¶46
Prior proceeding
Respondent No.3/BMTC decided to give promotions on the basis of the said seniority list, prompting the present petition.¶46
Prior proceeding
During pendency of the petition, the petitioners filed a memo stating no objection to disposal of the writ petition in view of the clarifications issued by Respondent No.2 dated 17.6.2025 (Annexure-S) and the final seniority list dated 28.8.2025.¶48