The Cosmopolitan Club (R) Vs the State of Karnataka

THE COSMOPOLITAN CLUB (R) 22ND CROSS, 3RD BLOCK, JAYANAGAR, BENGALURU - 560 011. REPRESENTED BY ITS HON. SECRETARY SRI. M.R. SANJAY S/O M.T. RAMASWAMY GOWDA AGE 56 YEARS R/A 47/A, 36 'A' CROSS, 9TH BLOCK, JAYANAGAR, BENGALURU - 560 011.

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…PETITIONER

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(BY SRI. VIVEK SUBBA REDDY, SR. COUNSEL A/W SRI. DILLI RAJAN, ADVOCATE)

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Digitally signed by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

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AND:

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THE STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATION, MULTI-STOREYED BUILDING, BENGALURU - 560 001 REPRESENT BY ITS SECRETARY.

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THE UNDER SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATION ZONE-3, ROOM NO. 603, 6TH FLOOR, 3RD GATE, M.S. BUILDING,

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NC: 2026:KHC:32637 WP No. 19732 of 2026

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HC-KAR

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DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU - 560 001.

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DISTRICT REGISTRAR FOR CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, ZONE-3, URBAN DISTRICT, 2ND FLOOR, SAKARA SOUDHA, 3RD MAIN ROAD, MALLESHWARAM BENGALURU - 560 003.

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THE REGISTRAR KARNATAKA CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES ALI ASKAR ROAD, CUNNIGHAM ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 001.

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SRI. A.N.K. RAJU S/O A.N. NARAYANA RAJU AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS, R/A NO. 164/A, 20TH MAIN, J.P. NAGAR, 2ND PHASE BENGALURU - 560 078.

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…RESPONDENTS

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(BY SMT. SARITHA KULKARNI, AGA FOR R1 TO R4; SRI. JAYAKUMAR S. PATIL, SR. COUNSEL A/W SRI. CHANDRAKANTH R. PATEL, ADVOCATE FOR C/R5)

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THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO i) QUASH THE IMPUGNED NOTICE DATED 10/06/2026 BEARING NO. CO 141 CSR 2026 ISSUED BY THE R2 (ANNX-A) AS BEING HIGHLY ILLEGAL, ARBITRARY, AND PASSED WITHOUT JURISDICTION AND ETC.,

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NC: 2026:KHC:32637 WP No. 19732 of 2026

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HC-KAR

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THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ

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ORAL ORDER

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

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Sri Chandrakant R. Patel, learned counsel who has filed caveat, accepts notice for respondent No.5.

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Petitioner is before this Court seeking for the following reliefs:

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a. Issue A Writ Of Certiorari or any other appropriate writ, order, or direction, quashing the impugned Notice dated 10.06.2026 bearing No. CO 141 CSR 2026 issued by the Respondent No. 2 (Annexure-A) as being highly illegal, arbitrary, and passed without jurisdiction;

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b. Issue A Writ Of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order, or direction, directing the Respondent No. 2 to consider and pass appropriate orders on the Petitioner's Representation dated 01.06.2026 vide Annexure-L seeking extension of time to conduct the Annual General Body Meeting and Elections; and

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c. Pass Such Other Order / Orders as this Hon'ble Court deems fit and proper under the facts and circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice and equity.

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NC: 2026:KHC:32637 WP No. 19732 of 2026

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HC-KAR

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Sri. Vivek Subba Reddy, learned Senior counsel submitting that:

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4.1. It is on account of the interim orders passed on 25.06.2025 in O.S.No.6688/2024 that the 31st Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled on 27.07.2025 could not be held thereby reaching the two-year limit of the office bearers.

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4.2. His submission is that subsequently, a Miscellaneous First Appeal having been filed, the said interim order came to be vacated on 29.06.2026, and on that basis, he submits that irrespective of the notice having been issued, calling upon the petitioner to show cause as to why the meeting has not been held. The club is now proposing to hold the meeting in terms of Rule 12 and 13.1 of the Rules and Regulations and Bye-laws of the petitioner club.

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4.3. His submission is that the publication of the preliminary list of members, etc., as indicated in Rule 13.1 would be adhered to and elections will be held without fail on 09.08.2026.

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The submission of Sri Jayakumar S. Patil, learned Senior Counsel appearing on behalf of respondent No.5, is that on an earlier occasion the elections were not

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NC: 2026:KHC:32637 WP No. 19732 of 2026

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HC-KAR

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conducted in a peaceful manner, and as such, he submits that the District Registrar could appoint a suitable person to supervise the elections to be held.

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Sri Vivek Subba Reddy, learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner, indicates no objection to such a supervisory role of the District Registrar or its representative, and all the other officials to conduct the elections would be appointed by the club as per the rules.

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In view of the said submission, taking into account the peculiarity of the matter, where both sides want elections to be held, the submissions made by both the Senior Counsels would address the grievance of both the petitioner and respondent No.5 and in that background, this Court passes the following:

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ORDER

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i) Writ petition is disposed .

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ii) Relief sought for in the petitioner molded, in terms of the submission made by the learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner, the elections to the petitioner club is directed to be held on 09.08.2026 in strict compliance with Rule 12 and 13.1 of the Rules and Regulations, Bye-laws of the Petitioner's club.

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