Sri.Erabhadra K M Vs Sri Anjum Parvej I a S — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

Sri.Erabhadra K M Vs Sri Anjum Parvej I a S — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Complaint closed as the alleged disobedient order stands complied with (requests considered and rejected by endorsements dated 01.09.2025); complainants granted liberty to pursue substantive remedies against the endorsements in accordance with law.

Issue for consideration

Whether the accused committed willful disobedience of the common order dated 29.11.2024 in Writ Petition No.29221/2024, warranting initiation of contempt proceedings and punishment under the Contempt of Courts Act read with Article 215 of the Constitution.

Court's answer

Since the requests have been considered and rejected by endorsements dated 01.09.2025 enclosed with the compliance affidavit, the order disobedience of which is alleged has been complied with.

Ratio / Principle

The contempt complaint is closed.

Key takeaways

The closing order does not preclude the complainants from availing any substantive remedy available to them in respect of the endorsements dated 01.09.2025, in accordance with law.ratio¶52

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Contempt - Civil Contempt Petition (CCC) No. 464 of 2025 under Sections 11 and 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act read with Article 215 of the Constitution of India - Alleged willful disobedience of common order dated 29.11.2024 in Writ Petition No.29221/2024 (Single Judge, batch), whereby authorities were directed to consider the complainants' (forest department staff, Mysore District) request for extension of payment in terms of Government Orders dated 11.06.2009 and 31.07.2012 - Accused (Principal Secretary, Forest Department; PCCF (HoFF); State of Karnataka) filed compliance affidavit with endorsements dated 01.09.2025 showing the requests were considered and rejected - Held (per Vibhu Bakhru, Chief Justice; bench incl. C.M. Poonacha, J): the order, disobedience of which is alleged, has been complied with - Complaint closed - Clarified that the closing order does not preclude the complainants from availing any substantive remedy in respect of the endorsements in accordance with law. Disposition: disposed/closed; no contempt found; no costs or quantum.

1 -

NC: 2026:KHC:5883-DB CCC No. 464 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 2^ND DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 PRESENT

THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 464 OF 2025

BETWEEN:

SRI.ERABHADRA K M S/O MADAIAH AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS FOREST WATCHER 'D' GROUP RANGE FOREST OFFICE METTIKUPPE WILDLIFE RANGE METTIKUPPE POST H.D KOTE TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571114.

Digitally signed by NIRMALA DEVI

Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

SRI. LOKESHA. M S/O H.K.MADEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS EDUCATED ASSISTANT 'C' GROUP RANGE FOREST OFFICE HUNSUR WILDLIFE RANGE HUNSUR HUNSUR TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571105.

SRI. GOPALA S/O KUPPA AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS WIRELESS CONDUCTOR 'D' GROUP RANGE FOREST OFFICE METTIKUPPE WILDLIFE RANGE METTIKUPPE POST H.D.KOTE TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571114.

2 - NC: 2026:KHC:5883-DB CCC No. 464 of 2025

HC-KAR

SRI. JAVAREGOWDA S/O BASAVEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS FOREST WATCHER 'D' GROUP RANGE FOREST OFFICE METTIKUPPE WILDLIFE RANGE METTIKUPPE POST H.D KOTE TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571114.

SRI. VENKATESHA. J S/O JAVAREGOWDA AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS DRIVER 'C' GROUP RANGE FOREST OFFICE METTIKUPPE WILDLIFE RANGE METTIKUPPE POST H.D KOTE TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571114.

SRI. LINGAPPA S/O KUSAYYA AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS FOREST WATCHER 'D' GROUP RANGE FOREST OFFICE VEERANAHOSAHALLY WILDLIFE RANGE DODDAHEJJUR POST HUNSUR TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571106.

SRI GANESH.J.K S/O KARIYA AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS FOREST WATCHER 'D' GROUP RANGE FOREST OFFICE VEERANAHOSAHALLY WILDLIFE RANGE DODDAHEJJUR POST HUNSUR TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571106.

3 - NC: 2026:KHC:5883-DB CCC No. 464 of 2025

HC-KAR

SRI. PRASANNA.S S/O SHIVAPPA PRESENTLY WORKING AS EDUCATED ASSISTANT 'C' GROUP AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS RANGE FOREST OFFICE VEERANAHOSAHALLY WILDLIFE RANGE DODDAHEJJUR POST HUNSUR TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571106.

SRI. RAMESH. P.B S/O UPENDRA (BASAVA) AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS WIRELESS CONDUCTOR 'D' GROUP RANGE FOREST OFFICE VEERANAHOSAHALLY WILDLIFE RANGE DODDAHEJJUR POST HUNSUR TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571106.

SRI. SHIVASWAMY S/O LATE APPAIAH AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS FOREST WATCHER 'D' GROUP RANGE FOREST OFFICE D.B.KUPPE. HUNSUR TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571106.

SRI. KUMAR S/O VENKATEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS FOREST WATCHER 'D' GROUP RANGE FOREST OFFICE D.B.KUPPE. HUNSUR TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571106.

SRI RAMESH A B S/O LATE BASAVEGOWDA. A AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS PRESENTLY WORKING AS

4 - NC: 2026:KHC:5883-DB CCC No. 464 of 2025

HC-KAR

FOREST WIRELESS OPERATOR RANGE FOREST OFFICE ANTARASANTHE. H.D KOTE TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571114.

SRI. RAJANNA.A S/O ANKANAYAK AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS WORKING AS FOREST DRIVER RANGE FOREST OFFICE ANTARASANTHE. H.D KOTE TALUK, MYSORE DISTRICT-571114.

…COMPLAINANTS

(BY SRI. BASAVARAJA PATEL G K, ADVOCATE)

AND:

SRI ANJUM PARVEJ I A S PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF FOREST, ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT M.S. BUILDING BENGALURU-560 001.

SMT. MEENAKSHI NEGI, I.A.S. PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS (HEAD OF THE FOREST FORCE.) ARANYA BHAVANA 3RD FLOOR 18 CROSS, MALLESHWARAM, BENGALURU -560003

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF FOREST, ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT M.S. BUILDING BENGALURU-560 001

…ACCUSED

(BY SRI. S.H. RAGHAVENDRA, AGA)

5 - NC: 2026:KHC:5883-DB CCC No. 464 of 2025

HC-KAR

THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTION 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT R/W ARTICLE 215 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, BY THE COMPLAINANT, PRAYING TO INITIATE APPROPRIATE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE ACCUSED INCLUDING ACTION FOR CONTEMPT OF THE ORDER DATED 29.11.2024 IN WP NO.29221/2024, PASSED BY THINS HONBLE COURT VIDE ANNEXURE-A, PUNISH THEM FOR WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE AND CONTEMPT COMMITTED THEREBY UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE RULES.

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 MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA

ORAL ORDER

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

The complainants have filed the present complaint alleging willful disobedience of the common order dated 29.11.2024 passed in Writ Petition No.29221/2024 by the learned Single Judge in a batch of writ petitions. In terms of the said order, the respondents - authorities were directed to consider the request of the complainants for extension of payment in terms of the Government Orders dated 11.06.2009 and 31.07.2012.

6 -

NC: 2026:KHC:5883-DB CCC No. 464 of 2025

HC-KAR

The accused have filed a compliance affidavit enclosing therewith endorsements dated 01.09.2025, which indicate that the requests have been considered and rejected.

In view of the above, the order, disobedience of which is alleged, has been complied with.

The complaint is accordingly closed. However, we clarify that this order would not preclude the complainants from availing any substantive remedy, if any, in respect of the endorsements, in accordance with law.

Sd/(VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE

Sd/(C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE

ND List No.: 1 Sl No.: 31