Sri Puttaswamy Gowda, Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

Sri Puttaswamy Gowda, Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition disposed of with liberty reserved to the petitioner to approach the Deputy Commissioner under Section 50 of the Act; interim protection for six weeks restraining respondent No.3 (Assistant Commissioner, Kollegala Sub-Division) and respondent No.4 (Tahsildar, Kollegala Taluk) from precipitating the matter; Additional Government Advocate permitted to file memo of appearance within four weeks.

Issue for consideration

Whether the writ petition filed under Articles 226 & 227 of the Constitution, praying to quash the impugned order dated 13/10/2025 bearing No. LND /VICHARANE /24/2025 passed by the Assistant Commissioner, Kollegala Sub-Division, and to restore the petitioner's name in all revenue records, should be entertained, given that the order is appealable under Section 50 before the Deputy Commissioner. +1 more

Court's answer

The writ petition stands disposed of, reserving liberty to the petitioner to approach the Deputy Commissioner under Section 50 of the Act, i.e., to pursue the statutory appellate remedy instead of the writ remedy.

Ratio / Principle

For a period of six weeks, respondent No.3 (Assistant Commissioner, Kollegala Sub-Division) and respondent No.4 (Tahsildar, Kollegala Taluk) were directed not to precipitate the matter any further, affording the petitioner time to seek orders from the Deputy Commissioner.

Key takeaways

The learned Additional Government Advocate was permitted to file memo of appearance within a period of four weeks from the date of the order.obiter¶42

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka (Bengaluru), R Devdas J, order dated 05-02-2026 — Writ Petition No. 39317 of 2025 (KLR-RES), Sri Puttaswamy Gowda v. State of Karnataka Revenue Department & 3 others. The petitioner, aged about 78 years of Doddinduvadi Village, Kollegala Taluk, Chamarajanagara District, sought quashing of the order dated 13/10/2025 bearing No. LND /VICHARANE /24/2025 passed by the Assistant Commissioner, Kollegala Sub-Division (Annexure-A), stated to have been passed invoking Rule 108K of the Karnataka Land Revenue Rules read along with Section 49(a) of the Act, and consequential restoration of his name in all revenue records. At the preliminary hearing, the Additional Government Advocate raised a preliminary objection that such an order is appealable under Section 50 before the Deputy Commissioner. Petitioner's counsel undertook to file a second appeal before the Deputy Commissioner and sought interim protection, submitting that standing crops on the land would otherwise be removed pursuant to the impugned order. The Court disposed of the writ petition, reserved liberty to the petitioner to approach the Deputy Commissioner under Section 50 of the Act, directed respondent No.3 (Assistant Commissioner) and respondent No.4 (Tahsildar) not to precipitate the matter for six weeks, and permitted the Additional Government Advocate to file memo of appearance within four weeks.

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NC: 2026:KHC:6719 WP No. 39317 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 5^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS

WRIT PETITION NO. 39317 OF 2025 (KLR-RES)

BETWEEN:

SRI PUTTASWAMY GOWDA, S/O MARI GOWDA, AGED ABOUT 78 YEARS, R/AT DODDINDUVADI VILLAGE, KEREBEEDI, PALYA HOBLI, KOLLEGALA TALUK, CHAMARAJANAGARA DISTRICT-571443

…PETITIONER

(BY SRI. KALYAN R., ADVOCATE)

AND:

Digitally signed by JUANITA THEJESWINI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REVENUE DEPARTMENT, VIDHAN SOUDHA, DR. AMBEDKAR VEDHI, BANGALORE-560001, REPRESENTED BY SECRETARY.

THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, CHAMARAJANAGARA DISTRICT- 571440.

THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, KOLLEGALA SUB-DIVISION, KOLLEGALA, CHAMARAJANAGARA DISTRICT- 571440.

TAHSILDAR, KOLLEGALA SUB-DIVISION,

2 - NC: 2026:KHC:6719 WP No. 39317 of 2025

HC-KAR

KOLLEGALA, CHAMARAJANAGARA AND DISTRICT-571440.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SMT. NAVYA SHEKHAR., AGA)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 & 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 13/10/2025 BEARING NO. LND /VICHARANE /24/2025 PASSED BY THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, KOLLEGALA SUB-DIVISION, KOLLEGALA, AS PER ANNEXURE-A TO THE WRIT PETITION AND CONSEQUENTLY TO ISSUE DIRECTION TO THE REVENUE AUTHORITIES TO RESTORE THE NAME OF THE PETITIONER IN ALL THE REVENUE RECORDS AND ETC.,

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS

ORAL ORDER

Learned Additional Government Advocate takes notice of all the respondents.

Learned Additional Government Advocate raises

a preliminary objection that the order impugned is passed by the Assistant Commissioner, Kollegala Sub-Division, invoking Rule 108K of the Karnataka Land Revenue Rules, which should be read along with Section 49(a) of the Act.

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NC: 2026:KHC:6719 WP No. 39317 of 2025

HC-KAR

Such an order passed by the Assistant Commissioner is appealable under Section 50 before the Deputy Commissioner.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner will file a second appeal before the Deputy Commissioner. However, the learned counsel submits that interim protection should be given to the petitioner to secure appropriate orders at the hands of the Deputy Commissioner for stay of the impugned order, since there are standing crops on the land in question and the standing crops will be removed by the respondents pursuant to the impugned order.

Accordingly, the writ petition stands disposed of , reserving liberty to the petitioner to approach the Deputy Commissioner under Section 50 of the Act. For a period of six weeks, the respondent No.3 - Assistant Commissioner, Kollegala Sub-Division and the respondent

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NC: 2026:KHC:6719 WP No. 39317 of 2025

HC-KAR

No.4 – Tahsildar, Kollegala Taluk are directed not to precipitate the matter any further.

Learned Additional Government Advocate is

permitted to file memo of appearance within a period of four weeks from today.

Sd/(R DEVDAS) JUDGE

KLY CT: JL