Mr. S R Prasannakumar Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

Mr. S R Prasannakumar Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Mandamus directing the respondents to consider the petitioner's representation dated 22.05.2024 and pass necessary orders thereon within eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order (¶49); Court expressly left the question of the petitioner's entitlement open (¶50).

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner is entitled to payment of Rs.8,61,31,000/- for borewell works executed at Kolar and Srinivasapura Taluk pursuant to the respondents' instructions, for which bills raised remain unpaid. +1 more

Court's answer

Whenever any works are allotted by the State or an instrumentality of the State, the said instrumentality is required to make payment of the due amounts as per the applicable agreement, work order and/or the like.

Ratio / Principle

The petitioner's representation dated 22.05.2024 was required to be considered by the respondents, with necessary orders passed either accepting or rejecting the request so as to enable the petitioner to avail appropriate remedies; none of these actions having been taken, a mandamus to consider the representation and pass orders within eight weeks was warranted.

Key takeaways

The Court has not expressed any opinion on the entitlement of the petitioner; entitlement is to be considered on the basis of the available documents.obiter¶50

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Mandamus for consideration of representation — Payment of dues for borewell works — Petitioner, proprietor of M/s Srinivasa Borewells, dug borewells at Kolar and Srinivasapura Taluk per respondents' instructions; bills raised remained unpaid; his representation dated 22.05.2024 (Annexure-D) was not considered. Court held that where works are allotted by the State or its instrumentality, payment of due amounts per the applicable agreement/work order is required, and that the representation had to be considered with orders passed accepting or rejecting it so as to enable the petitioner to avail appropriate remedies. Writ petition under Article 226 allowed; respondents (State RDPR Department; Commissioner and Engineer-in-Chief, Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department; Executive Engineer, Kolar) directed to consider the representation and pass orders within eight weeks. Court expressly expressed no opinion on the claimed entitlement of Rs.8,61,31,000/-, leaving it to be decided on available documents.

NC: 2026:KHC:29905 WP No. 12378 of 2026

1 -

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 18^TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ WRIT PETITION NO. 12378 OF 2026 (GM-RES)

BETWEEN:

MR. S R PRASANNAKUMAR SON OF LATE MR. S. H. RANGAPPA, AGED 63 YEARS, PROPRIETOR M/S SRINIVASA BOREWELLS. NO.5. NEW EXTENSION, KOLAR - 563 101.

…PETITIONER

(BY SRI. VASANTH V. FERNANDES, ADVOCATE)

AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHAYAT RAJ DEPARTMENT.

Digitally signed by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT, 3^RD GATE, 3^RD FLOOR, M.S. BUILDING, BANGALORE - 560 001.

THE COMMISSIONER, RURAL DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, 2^ND FLOOR, E BLOCK,

K. H. B. BUILDING, CAUVERY BHAVAN,

2 - NC: 2026:KHC:29905 WP No. 12378 of 2026

HC-KAR

K. G. ROAD,

BANGALORE - 560 009.

THE CHIEF ENGINEER

NOW DESIGNATED AS ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF RURAL DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, 1ST FLOOR, E BLOCK, K. H. B. BUILDING, CAUVERY BHAVAN, BANGALORE-560 009.

THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, RURAL DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, D. C. OFFICE BUILDING, S-11, KUMBARAHALLI POST, KOLAR - 563 103.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI. MOHAMMED JAFFAR SHAH, AGA FOR R1 TO R4)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUSDIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO MAKE PAYMENT TO THE PETITIONER IN SUM OF RS.8,61,31,000/- (RUPEES EIGHT CORE SIXTY ONE LAKH AND THIRTY ONE THOUSAND ONLY) AND ETC.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ

3 -

NC: 2026:KHC:29905 WP No. 12378 of 2026

HC-KAR

ORAL ORDER

Learned Additional Government Advocate accepts notice for respondent Nos.1 to 4.

The petitioner is before this Court seeking for the following relief:

" WHEREFORE, the Petitioner prays that this Honourable Court may be pleased to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the Respondents to make payment to the Petitioner in a sum of Rs.8,61,31,000/(Rupees Eight Core Sixty-One Lakh and ThirtyOne Thousand only) and to grant such other reliefs as to this Honourable Court may seem fit and proper under the circumstances of this case, in furtherance of Justice and Equity."

The petitioner claims that, in terms of the instructions which have been issued by the respondents, the petitioner has dig borewells at Kolar and Srinivasapura Taluk, as regards to which bills were raised by the petitioner, which have remained unpaid. It is in that background that the petitioner is before the Court.

4 -

NC: 2026:KHC:29905 WP No. 12378 of 2026

HC-KAR

The representation which has been submitted by the petitioner on 22.05.2024 at Annexure-D has not been considered.

Whenever any works are allotted by the State or an instrumentality of the State, the said instrumentality is required to make payment of the due amounts as per the applicable agreement, work order and/or the like.

In the present case, the petitioner claims that he has completed the work, as regards which the amounts have not been paid. The representation which has been submitted has also not been considered. This representation, submitted on 22.05.2024, was required to be considered by the respondents, the necessary orders passed either accepting or rejecting the said request so as to enable the petitioner to avail appropriate remedies. None of these actions have been taken.

5 - NC: 2026:KHC:29905 WP No. 12378 of 2026

HC-KAR

Hence, I pass the following:

ORDER

i. Writ petition is allowed .

ii. A mandamus is issued directing the respondents to consider the representation of the petitioner dated 22.05.2024 and pass necessary orders thereon within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

iii. It is made clear that this Court has not expressed any opinion on the entitlement of the petitioner. The same would have to be considered on the basis of the available documents.

Sd/(SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE

TMP List No.: 1 Sl No.: 29