Sri. Nanjunde Gowda. B. M. Vs the State of… — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

Sri. Nanjunde Gowda. B. M. Vs the State of… — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

None in terms of the prayers: the notice dated 24.04.2026 was not quashed. The writ petition was disposed of as having been rendered infructuous after the charge memo was served on the petitioner on 26.05.2026; all contentions of the parties kept open; I.A. No.1 of 2026 disposed of as not surviving for consideration.

Issue for consideration

Whether the impugned notice dated 24.04.2026 (No. D.E-79/2026, Annexure-U) issued by respondent No.3 ought to be quashed on the ground that respondent No.2 proceeded to hold the disciplinary enquiry without furnishing the charge memo to the petitioner. +1 more

Court's answer

All the contentions of the parties are kept open, no merits having been decided.

Ratio / Principle

In view of the charge memo having been furnished to the petitioner during the pendency of the writ petition (memo with acknowledgment showing service on 26.05.2026, placed on record and not disputed by the petitioner's counsel), the writ petition stands disposed of as having been rendered infructuous.

Key takeaways

Consequent upon the disposal of the writ petition, I.A. No.1 of 2026 does not survive for consideration and is disposed of accordingly.ratio¶42

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka (Single Judge, Ashok S. Kinagi, J.), Writ Petition No. 15531 of 2026 (S-RES) under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, decided 01.06.2026. The petitioner, Principal of Vokkaligara Sangha Industrial Training Institute, challenged a notice dated 24.04.2026 bearing No. D.E-79/2026 (Annexure-U) issued by respondent No.3/the Enquiry Officer, contending that respondent No.2 (Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha) had initiated disciplinary proceedings and proceeded to hold the enquiry without furnishing a charge memo; he prayed for quashing the notice and a direction to furnish the articles of charge and proceed with the inquiry. During the pendency of the petition, counsel for respondent No.2 filed a memo with acknowledgment showing the charge memo was served on the petitioner on 26.05.2026, submitting nothing survived; the court placed the memo on record and the petitioner's counsel did not dispute the furnishing of the charge memo. Held: disposing of the writ petition as having been rendered infructuous; all contentions of the parties kept open; I.A. No.1 of 2026 disposed of as not surviving for consideration.

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NC: 2026:KHC:25428 WP No. 15531 of 2026

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 1^ST DAY OF JUNE, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI

WRIT PETITION NO. 15531 OF 2026 (S-RES)

BETWEEN:

SRI. NANJUNDE GOWDA. B.M. S/O. MALLE GOWDA, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, WAS WORKING AS PRINCIPAL, VOKKALIGARA SANGHA INDUSTRIAL TRAINING INSTITUTE, SRIGANDHADA KAVAL, MAGADI MAIN ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 091. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SATISH K., ADVOCATE)

AND:

Digitally signed by KIRAN KUMAR R Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND LIVELIHOOD, M. S. BUILDING, BANGALORE - 560 001.

RAJYA VOKKALIGARA SANGHA, REPRESENTED BY ITS GENERAL SECRETARY, NO. 148, VISHVESHWARAPURA, KRISHNARAJENDRA ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 004.

THE ENQUIRY OFFICER, NO. 148, VISHVESHWARAPURA,

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KRISHNARAJENDRA ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 004.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI. G. RAMESH NAIK, AGA FOR R1 SRI. S. RAGHUNANDAN, ADVOCATE FOR R2; NOTICE TO R3 HELD SUFFICIENT VCO dtd.01.06.2026)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO CALL FOR RECORDS FROM THE R-3 IN RESPECT OF THE IMPUGNED NOTICE DTD. 24.04.2026 (ANNX-U) D.E.79/2026. QUASH THE IMPUGNED NOTICE DTD. 24.04.2026 BEARING NO. D.E79/2026 PASSED BY THE R-3 (ANNX-U) AND CONSEQUENTLY DIRECT THE R-3 TO FURNISH A COPY OF THE ARTICLES OF CHARGE TO THE PETITIONER AND THEREAFTER TO PROCEED WITH THE DEPARTMENTAL INQUIRY.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI ORAL ORDER

The petitioner has filed this writ petition seeking

following reliefs:

(i) call for records from respondent No.3 in respect of the impugned notice dated 24.04.2026 (AnnexureU) D.E.79/2026;

(ii) quash the impugned notice dated 24.04.2026 bearing No.D.E-79/2026 passed by the respondent No.3 (Annexure-U) and consequently,

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HC-KAR

direct respondent No.3 to furnish a copy of the articles of charge to the petitioner and thereafter to proceed with the departmental inquiry;

(iii) Pass any other appropriate order as this Hon’ble Court deems fit in the facts and circumstances of the case, including the cost of this writ petition.”

Brief facts leading rise to the filing of this writ petition are as follows:

Respondent No.2 had initiated a disciplinary proceeding against the petitioner. It is the case of the petitioner that respondent No.2 without furnishing a charge memo has proceeded to hold an enquiry. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioner has filed this writ petition.

Learned counsel for respondent No.2 filed a memo along with the acknowledgment to show that the charge memo was served on the petitioner on

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HC-KAR

26.05.2026 i.e., during the pendency of the writ petition and submits that in view of the furnishing of charge memo to the petitioner, nothing survives for consideration in this writ petition.

The memo and the submission are placed on record.

Learned counsel for the petitioner did not dispute regarding furnishing of the charge memo to the petitioner.

Accordingly, writ petition is disposed of as having rendered infructuous .

All the contentions of the parties are kept open.

In view of the disposal of the petition, I.A. No.1 of 2026 does not survive for consideration and disposed

of accordingly.

Sd/(ASHOK S.KINAGI) JUDGE

RK