Sri. Venkatesha Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

Sri. Venkatesha Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Direction to respondents to consider the petitioners' representation dated 14.03.2025 (Annexure-G) and pass appropriate order bearing in mind Government Orders at Annexures-C and D and the Division Bench order in Civil Contempt Petition No.928/2022 dated 28.08.2023, within three months from receipt of a copy of the order.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents should be directed to consider the petitioners' representation dated 14.03.2025 (Annexure-G) seeking payment of arrears of 6th and 7th Pay wages together with 8.33% bonus from 2004 till superannuation, difference of arrears of gratuity, medical reimbursement and leave encashment in terms of Government Orders at Annexures-C and D, and pass appropriate orders thereon.

Court's answer

The Court directed the respondents to address the grievances of the petitioners, consider their representation at Annexure-G dated 14.03.2025 and pass appropriate order bearing in mind the Government Orders at Annexures-C and D and the order passed by the Hon'ble Division Bench of this Court in Civil Contempt Petition No.928/2022 dated 28.08.2023, in accordance with law, within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.

Ratio / Principle

Subject to the aforesaid observations and directions, the writ petition stands disposed of; the Court did not itself adjudicate the substantive entitlement to the claimed arrears, bonus, gratuity, medical reimbursement or leave encashment.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ Petition (S-R), High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (S.R.Krishna Kumar, J.), decided 04.03.2026: Seven petitioners sought a mandamus directing Respondent No.2 (Mysore Sugar Company Ltd., a Government of Karnataka undertaking) to pay arrears of wages arising out of the 6th and 7th Pay together with arrears of 8.33% bonus from 2004 till the date of their superannuation, and difference of arrears of gratuity, medical reimbursement and leave encashment, as requested vide their representation dated 14.03.2025 (Annexure-G) in terms of Government Order No.LD85.LWA.2014 Bangalore dated 18.03.2016 (Annexure-C) and Government Order No.LD 240 LWA 2018 dated 04.07.2022 (Annexure-D). The grievance was that the representation had not been considered nor any order passed on it. Counsel for the respondents undertook to consider the representation if reasonable time was given. The Court directed the respondents to consider the representation and pass appropriate order bearing in mind the Government Orders at Annexures-C and D and the Division Bench order in Civil Contempt Petition No.928/2022 dated 28.08.2023, in accordance with law, within three months of receipt of a copy of the order; subject to these directions, the petition stood disposed of. No adjudication of substantive monetary entitlement occurred and no amounts were awarded.

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NC: 2026:KHC:13301 WP No. 17809 of 2025

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 4^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR

WRIT PETITION NO.17809 OF 2025 (S-R)

BETWEEN:

SRI. VENKATESHA S/O LATE VENKATAIAH, AGED ABOUT 63 YEARS, P.R.NO.22192, R/O NO.235, 1^ST CROSS, KUVEMPUNAGAR,

MANDYA – 571 402.

SRI.B.RAMESH, S/O LATE CHIKKA BOMMAIAH, AGED ABOUT 63 YEARS, P.R.NO.46334, NO.G.4963/A, HITESH NIVASA, 1^ST CROSS, CHIKKEGOWDA BADAVANE, BEHIND CHAMUNDESHWARI TEMPLE, GUTHALU COLONY, MANDYA-571 403.

Digitally signed by CHANDANA B M Location: High Court of Karnataka

SRI.SURYANARAYANA S/O RAJARATHNA, AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS, P.R.NO.14836, R/O NO.125, OLD G.TYPE, 2^ND CROSS, NEAR POST OFFICE, SUGAR TOWN, MANDYA - 571 402.

SRI.M.B.MITHRE GOWDA S/O M.B.BORAIAH, AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS, R/O CHIKKA MANDYA, KASBA HOBLI, MANDYA-571 402

SRI.CHANNEGOWDA, S/O CHOWDEGOWDA,

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AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS, R/O NO.4, 3^RD CROSS, 17^TH MAIN, MUNESHWARA BLOCK, BANGALORE SOUTH - 560 026

SRI.SIDDARAJU, S/O G. NINGALAH,

AGED ABOUT 64 YEARS, P.R.NO.3027, R/AT NO.KT-458/A,

1^ST FLOOR, 9^TH CROSS,

CHAMUNDESHWARINAGAR, MANDYA-571 401.

SRI.S.R.VENUGOPAL S/O. S.P.RAMANNA, AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS, P.R.NO.13567, NO.200, 1^ST FLOOR,

1^ST MAIN ROAD, VINAYAKA LAYOUT, HALAHALLI MAIN ROAD, NEAR SBI, BANGALORE SOUTH - 560 056.

…PETITIONERS

(BY SRI. S.B.MUKKANNAPPA, ADVOCATE)

AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRL.SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE (TEXTILES) VIKASA SOUDHA, DR.B.R.AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BANGALORE-560 001.

MYSORE SUGAR COMPANY LTD., GOVT. OF KARNATAKA UNDERTAKING, REGD. OFFICE AND FACTORY SUGAR TOWN, MANDYA-571 402. REPRESENTED BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SMT. SARITHA KULKARNI, AGA FOR R-1; SRI. KIRAN C.V., ADVOCATE FOR R-2)

THIS W.P IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECT THE R2 TO PAY

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ARREARS OF WAGES ARISING OUT OF 6^TH AND 7^TH PAY TOGETHER WITH ARREARS OF 8.33 PERCENT BONUS FROM 2004 TILL THE DATE OF THEIR SUPERANUATION AND DIFFERENCE OF ARREARS OF GRATUITY, MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT, LEAVE ENCASHMENT AS REQUESTED BY THE PETITIONERS WIDE REPRESENTATION DTD. 14.03.2025 AT ANNX-G TO THE WRIT PETITION IN TERMS OF THE GOVERNMENT ORDER NO.LN85.LWA.2014 BANGALORE DTD. 18.03.2016 AT ANNX-C AND AS WELL AS GOVERNMENT ORDER LD 240 LWA 2018 DTD. 04.07.2022 AT ANNX-D TO THE WRIT PETITION BY GIVING TIME BOUND DIRECTION TO THE R-2 UNDER THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP , THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR

ORAL ORDER

In this petition, petitioners seek the following reliefs:

“a) Issue a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the 2^nd Respondent to pay arrears of wages arising out of 6^th and 7^th pay together with arrears of 8.33% Bonus from 2004 till the date of their superannuation and difference of arrears of gratuity, medical reimbursement, leave encashment as requested by the petitioners vide representation dated 14.03.2025 at Annexure-G to the writ petition in terms of the Government Order No.LD85.LWA.2014 Bangalore dated 18.03.2016 at Annexure-C and as well as Government Order No.LD 240 LWA 2018 dated 04.07.2022 at Annexure-D to the writ petition by giving time bound direction to the 2^nd Respondent, under the facts and circumstances of the case; and

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b) Issue any other appropriate writ, order or orders or direction as this Hon’ble Court may deem fit to grant under the facts and circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice.”

Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned

AGA for respondent No.1 and learned counsel for respondent No.2 and perused the material on record.

It is the grievance of the petitioners that their representation at Annexure – G dated 14.03.2025 submitted to the respondents has not been considered so far by respondents nor any order has been passed on the same. Under these circumstances, the petitioners are before this Court by way of present petition.

Per contra, learned counsel for the respondents submits that if reasonable time is given, the respondents would consider and pass necessary order on the said representation.

In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances and rival submissions, the respondents are hereby directed to address the grievances of the petitioners and consider their representation at Annexure – G dated 14.03.2025 and pass appropriate order

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bearing in mind Government Orders at Annexures – C and D and the order passed by the Hon’ble Division Bench of this Court in Civil Contempt Petition No.928/2022 dated 28.08.2023 and in accordance with law, within a period of three months from the date

of receipt of a copy of this order.

Subject to the aforesaid observations and directions, the petition stands disposed of.

Sd/(S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE

SV

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