Allowed¶45

M/S Suzlon Energy Limited v. the State of Karnataka

Karnataka HC10 Jun 2026WP/26862/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Karnataka HC (Justice Suraj Govindaraj), 10-06-2026, allows WP 26862/2025 (GM-FOR) — Suzlon Energy: forest-authority deviation regularization and lease-transfer representations (Annexures F and L; MoEF guidelines 29.01.2018) must be considered and orders passed within 8 weeks; no view taken on merits.

What did the court decide?

Writ petition allowed; respondents directed to consider the representations dated 24.07.2023 (Annexure-F) and 27.06.2025 (Annexure-L) and pass necessary orders within eight (8) weeks from receipt of a copy of the order, without any expression of opinion on the merits. ¶45

M/S Suzlon Energy Limited Vs the State of Karnataka — Company and Corporate | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the respondent authorities are required to consider and pass orders on the petitioner's deviation regularization representations dated 24.07.2023 (Annexure-F) and reminder dated 27.06.2025 (Annexure-L), in accordance with the MoEF guidelines dated 29.01.2018. +1 more

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Court's answer

Whenever any representation is submitted by a citizen or a company to an Authority, the Authority is required to consider it and pass necessary orders within a reasonable period of time, either accepting or rejecting the request made.

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Ratio / Principle

On the petitioner's representations dated 24.07.2023 (Annexure-F) and 27.06.2025 (Annexure-L), no orders had been passed by the respondents till the date of the order, either accepting or rejecting the request made.

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Key takeaways

Writ petition allowed; respondents directed to consider the representations dated 24.07.2023 at Annexure-F and 27.06.2025 at Annexure-L and pass necessary orders within a period of eight (8) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.ratio¶48
The Court expressly clarified that it has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the matter.obiter¶50

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ Petition (GM-FOR) No. 26862 of 2025, High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (NC: 2026:KHC:28131), decided 10 June 2026 by Hon'ble Mr. Justice Suraj Govindaraj — M/s Suzlon Energy Limited, operator of wind energy generators/wind turbines in forest areas of Karnataka, sought (i) expeditious consideration of its deviation regularization representations dated 24.07.2023 (Annexure-F) and reminder dated 27.06.2025 (Annexure-L) in terms of the MoEF guidelines dated 29.01.2018, and (ii) time-bound processing of pending lease transfer applications in favour of its customers. Holding that an authority must consider any representation submitted to it and pass orders within a reasonable time either accepting or rejecting it, and noting that no orders had been passed on the petitioner's representations till date, the Court allowed the writ petition and directed the respondents to consider the representations and pass necessary orders within eight (8) weeks, expressly recording that it expressed no opinion on the merits.

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NC: 2026:KHC:28131 WP No. 26862 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

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DATED THIS THE 10^TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026

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BEFORE

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ WRIT PETITION NO. 26862 OF 2025 (GM-FOR)

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BETWEEN:

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M/S SUZLON ENERGY LIMITED A COMPANY INCORPORATED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956, HAVING ITS REGISTERED OFFICE AT: SUZLON 5^TH FLOOR, GODREJ ETERNIA-A OLD PUNE-MUMBAI ROAD, SHIVAJINAGAR, PUNE - 411 005, MAHARASHTRA.

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REPRESENTED HEREIN BY ITS AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY AND LEAD - LEGAL MR. VINAY KUMAR

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… PETITIONER

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(BY SRI. ARUN KUMAR K., SENIOR ADVOCATE FOR SRI SUNDARA RAMAN M V., 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 REPRESENTED HEREIN BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY - FOREST, ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT, KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, ROOM NO. 448, 4^TH FLOOR, GATE NO. 2, M. S. BUILDING, BENGALURU-560 001

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THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS, KARNATAKA FOREST DEPARTMENT, ARANYA BHAVAN, 18^TH CROSS, MALLESHWARAM,

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NC: 2026:KHC:28131 WP No. 26862 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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BENGALURU - 560 003.

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THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL OF FORESTS, MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE, REGIONAL OFFICE (SOUTH ZONE), KENDRIYA SADAN, 4^TH FLOOR, E F WINGS, 17^TH MAIN ROAD, KORAMANGALA, BENGALURU - 560 034

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… RESPONDENTS

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(BY SRI. SHAMANTH NAI, HCGP)

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THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT AUTHORITIES TO CONSIDER AND TAKE EXPEDITIOUS ACTION ON THE DEVIATION REGULARIZATION REPRESENTATIONS/PROPOSALS MADE BY THE PETITIONER 24.07.2023 AT ANNEXURE-F (AND THEREAFTER REMINDED BY WAY OF ANNEXURE-L SERIES ON 27.06.2025) AND TO ALLOW THE SAME IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GUIDELINES ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (MOEF), GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, DATED 29.01.2018 AND ETC.

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THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR FRESH MATTERS LIST THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ

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ORAL ORDER

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The Petitioner is before this Court seeking for the

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following reliefs:

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(i) Issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction directing the Respondent Authorities to consider and take expeditious action on the deviation regularization representations/proposals made by the Petitioner 24.07.2023 at Annexure-F (and thereafter reminded by way of Annexure-L series on

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3 - NC: 2026:KHC:28131 WP No. 26862 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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27.06.2025) and to allow the same in accordance with the Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF), Government of India, dated 29.01.2018 vide Annexure-H;

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(ii) Issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, directing the Respondent Authorities to process and execute the pending Lease Transfer applications in favour of the Petitioner's customers, as was represented once again on 27.06.2025 ( Annexure-L ) with respect to the forest land leased to the Petitioner in a timebound manner;

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(iii) Pass such other or further orders as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit in the facts and circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice and equity.

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The petitioner is engaged in the business of establishment of Wind Energy Generators/Wind Turbines across the State of Karnataka. Many of these being established in forest areas. Initial permission is obtained from the Forest Department. In respect of three of the projects set up by the petitioner, there are certain deviations from the land demarcated by the Forest Department.

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It is in that background, the petitioner had submitted the representations dated 24.07.2023 at Annexure-F and 27.06.2025 at Annexure-L for the request of the

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NC: 2026:KHC:28131 WP No. 26862 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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petitioner to be considered in terms of guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India dated 29.01.2018 at Annexure-H. The said representations not having been considered, the petitioner is before this Court seeking for the aforesaid reliefs.

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Whenever any representation is submitted by a citizen or a Company operating in the jurisdiction of a particular Authority, it is required for the Authority to consider the same and pass necessary orders within a reasonable period of time, either accepts or rejects the request made.

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In the present matter, the representations have been submitted on 24.07.2023 and 27.06.2025. No orders have been passed by the respondents till date, either accepting or rejecting the request made by the Petitioner. As such, this Court passes the following:

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ORDER

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i) Writ petition is allowed .

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5 - NC: 2026:KHC:28131 WP No. 26862 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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ii) Respondents are directed to consider the representations dated 24.07.2023 at Annexure-F and 27.06.2025 at Annexure-L and pass necessary orders within a period of eight

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(8) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

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iii) It is made clear that this Court has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the matter.

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SD/(SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE

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KTY List No.: 1 Sl No.: 36

M/S Suzlon Energy Limited v. the State of Karnataka

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

M/S Suzlon Energy Limited v. the State of Karnataka

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

Issues for consideration

Statutes considered

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Parties & counsel

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