Smt v M Geetha Vs Sri P Manivanan — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

Smt v M Geetha Vs Sri P Manivanan — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No prosecution initiated; the civil contempt complaint was closed as compliant, the Court recording that the order dated 13.11.2024 has been complied with, while clarifying liberty to the complainant to avail substantial remedies in accordance with law if aggrieved by the alternative allotment.

Issue for consideration

Whether the accused committed willful disobedience of the order dated 13.11.2024 in Writ Petition No.20978/2023 (BDA), warranting initiation of prosecution and sentence of imprisonment under the Contempt of Court Act.

Court's answer

In view of the compliance memo and the allotment letter dated 09.06.2026, the order dated 13.11.2024, the disobedience of which is alleged, has been complied with.

Ratio / Principle

The contempt complaint is, accordingly, closed.

Key takeaways

Clarification that if the complainant is aggrieved by the alternative allotment, this order would not preclude her from availing substantial remedies in accordance with law.obiter¶35

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Civil Contempt Petition (CCC No. 1389 of 2025, High Court of Karnataka, decided 19.06.2026) by Smt V.M. Geetha against Sri P Manivanan, Commissioner, Bangalore Development Authority, alleging willful disobedience of the learned Single Judge's order dated 13.11.2024 in Writ Petition No.20978/2023 (BDA), whereby the BDA was directed to allot an alternative site to the complainant in terms of Junjamma and others vs. The Bangalore Development Authority (ILR 2005 KAR 608). Counsel for the accused filed a memo of compliance with an allotment letter dated 09.06.2026 showing allotment of a site to the complainant in Nadaprabhu Kempegoda layout (Kodigehalli Village, Survey No. 64/4). The Division Bench (Vibhu Bakhru, Chief Justice, and K.S. Hemalekha, J., per the Chief Justice) held that the order dated 13.11.2024 has been complied with, closed the complaint, and clarified that closure would not preclude the complainant from availing substantial remedies in accordance with law if aggrieved by the alternative allotment.

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NC: 2026:KHC:30398-DB CCC No. 1389 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19^TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 PRESENT

THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE

AND

THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA

CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 1389 OF 2025

BETWEEN:

SMT V.M. GEETHA W/O SRI BASAVARAJ ETAGI AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS R/AT NO.15, ASHIRWAD KOTHANUR MAIN ROAD 5^TH MAIN, ADITHYA NAGARA AJANANAGARA BENGALURU SOUTH BENGALURU - 560 062

…COMPLAINANT

(BY SRI. BHAT GANAPATHI NARAYANA, ADVOCATE)

Digitally signed by AMBIKA H B Location: High Court of Karnataka

AND:

SRI P MANIVANAN THE COMMISSIONER BANGALORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY T. CHOWDAIAH ROAD KUMAR PARK WEST BENGALURU - 560 018

…ACCUSED

(BY SRI AJAY KUMAR M., ADVOCATE)

THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURT ACT, PRAYING TO INITIATE A PROSECUTION AGAINST THE ACCUSED FOR WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE OF THE DIRECTION AND ORDER DATED

2 - NC: 2026:KHC:30398-DB CCC No. 1389 of 2025

HC-KAR

13.11.2024 IN WRIT PETITION NO.20978/2023 (BDA) PASSED BY THIS HON'BLE COURT, AS PER ANNEXURE-B AND SENTENCE HIM TO IMPRISONMENT.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA

ORAL ORDER

(PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE)

The complainant has filed the present complaint alleging willful disobedience of the order dated 13.11.2024 passed by the learned Single Judge in Writ Petition No.20978/2023 (BDA). By the said order, the Bangalore Development Authority [ BDA ] was directed to allot alternative site to the complainant in terms of the judgment of this Court in Junjamma and others vs. The Bangalore Development Authority¹ .

The learned counsel appearing for the accused has filed a memo of compliance enclosing therewith an allotment letter dated 09.06.2026. The same indicates that the complainant has been allotted a site in Nadaprabhu Kempegoda layout (Kodigehalli Village, Survey No. 64/4).

1 ILR 2005 KAR 608

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NC: 2026:KHC:30398-DB CCC No. 1389 of 2025

HC-KAR

In view of the above, the order dated 13.11.2024, the

disobedience of which is alleged, has been complied with.

The complaint is, accordingly, closed.

However, we clarify that if the complainant is aggrieved by the alternative allotment, this order would not preclude the complainant from availing substantial remedies albeit in

accordance with law.

Sd/(VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE

Sd/(K.S. HEMALEKHA) JUDGE

AHB List No.: 1 Sl No.: 15