Bhuvan M R Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

Bhuvan M R Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petitioners to submit physical copies of applications with their 2017-2018 caste certificates on 30.06.2026 and to upload the online form with requisite caste certificates issued as per the Notification dated 20.01.2026 (Annexure-B) within 21 days; failing which it is open to the respondents to allot the seat to other eligible candidates in accordance with law. Challenge to the Notifications forsaken; writ petition disposed of with these directions/observations.

Issue for consideration

Whether the impugned Notifications, by requiring fresh caste certificates updating the applicants' classification under one of the internal reservation categories, could prevent petitioners holding 2017-18 Scheduled Caste certificates from registering online as eligible candidates for the CET-2026 examinations. +1 more

Court's answer

Recording the petitioners' acceptance of the offer made by Respondent No.2 in para 3 of its statement of objections, and with the aforesaid directions/observations, the writ petition was disposed of; the challenge to the Notifications having been forsaken, the relief was moulded accordingly.

Ratio / Principle

The Court directed that on 30.06.2026 the petitioners shall submit physical copies of their duly filled-in applications along with the caste certificates issued during 2017-2018.

Key takeaways

Uploading of the actual online form along with the requisite caste certificates issued as per the Notification dated 20.01.2026 (Annexure-B) was to be done no later than 21 days from 30.06.2026.ratio¶58
It was clarified that if the forms were not submitted on 30.06.2026 and the certificates prescribed under the Annexure-B Notification dated 20.01.2026 were not filed within the 21-day period, it would be open to the respondents to allot the seat to other eligible candidates in accordance with law.ratio¶59

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ Petition (EDN-RES), High Court of Karnataka (ORAL ORDER per Jayant Banerji J.; Bench incl. Tara Vitasta Ganju J.), disposed of on 29.06.2026. Petitioners, CET-2026 aspirants holding Scheduled Caste certificates of 2017-18, challenged Notifications dated 25/08/2025 (Annexure-A, State of Karnataka), 20/01/2026 (Annexure-B, No. ED/KEA/ADALITHA/CR-04/2026) and 30/01/2026 (Annexure-C, CET Cell) requiring updated caste certificates classifying applicants under internal reservation categories, which left them unable to register online for CET-2026. Counsel forsook the challenge to the Notifications and sought moulding of relief; petitioners accepted the CET Cell's offer (para 3, statement of objections) to correct their applications if SC certificates as required in law were furnished within 21 days. Directions issued: physical application forms with 2017-2018 caste certificates to be submitted on 30.06.2026; uploading of the online form with requisite certificates under the 20.01.2026 Notification within 21 days; failing compliance, respondents free to allot the seat to other eligible candidates in accordance with law. Related PIL (W.P. No.200448/2025) on 56% reservation and the Notifications pending before a Co-ordinate Bench.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 29^TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026

PRESENT

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI

AND

THE HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE TARA VITASTA GANJU

WRIT PETITION NO. 6664 OF 2026 (EDN-RES)

BETWEEN:

BHUVAN M.R., AGED ABOUT 18 YEARS, S/O RAJASEKHAR M.S., NEAR TIPPESWAMY TEMPLE, KONSGARA, CHITRADURGA-577 529.

SUJITH K.M., AGED ABOUT 17 YEARS, S/O BASAVARAJ, R/O NO 13-7-248, DAND, PO YERMARUS-584 134, RAICHUR.

Digitally signed by K S RENUKAMBA Location: High Court of Karnataka

TEJESWINI TEGGINAMATH, AGED ABOUT 17 YEARS, M/G AND N/F

SRI CHANNBASAYYA TEGGINAMATH R/O BEGUR MAIN ROAD, KODI CHIKKAN HALLI,

BOMMANAHALLI, BANGALORE-560 058.

…PETITIONERS

(BY SRI PRAVEEN KUMAR RAIKOTE., ADVOCATE)

AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE, BANGALORE -1.

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THE COMMON ENTRANCE TEST CELL, BY ITS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, MALLESWARAM, 18TH CROSS, BANGALORE – 12.

KARNATAKA EXAMINATION AUTHORITY, BY ITS EXCUTIVE DIRECTOR, NO.18 CROSS ROAD, MALLESWARAM, BANGALORE – 12. (IMPLEADED AS PER COURT ORDER DATED 12.03.2026)

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. REUBEN JACOB., AAG A/W SMT. PRATHIBHA K.R., AGA FOR R1; SRI N.K.RAMESH, ADVOCATE FOR R2 AND R3)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI AND QUASH THE NOTIFICATION AT ANNEXURE-A PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.1 DATED 25/08/2025 VIDE NUMBER SA KA E 8 SLP2024 AND THE NOTIFICATION AT ANNEXUREB VIDE NO.ED/KEA/ADALITHA/CR-04/2026 DATED 20/01/2026 AND ANNEXURE-C DATED 30/01/2026, PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.2 RESPECTIVELY IN SO FAR AS IT PERTAINS TO THE PETITIONERS AND ETC.,

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI and

HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE TARA VITASTA GANJU

ORAL ORDER

(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI)

This petition has been filed seeking the following reliefs:

“A) Writ of Certiorari and Quash the Notification at Annexure-A passed by the Respondent No.1 dated

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25/08/2025 vide number Sa Ka E 8 SLP2024 and the Notification at Annexure-B vide No.ED/KEA/adalitha/CR04/2026 dated 20/01/2026 and Annexure-C dated 30/01/2026, passed by the Respondent No.2 respectively in so far as it pertains to the petitioners.

B) Any other writ order or direction that this Hon’ble court deems just in the circumstances of the matter.”

At the outset learned counsel for the petitioners has stated that in view of the submissions made by respondent No.2 in para 3 of the statement of objections filed today, he is forsaking the challenge to the Notifications and prays that the relief be moulded in the interest of the petitioners who are students.

The contention of learned counsel for the petitioners is that the petitioners had obtained Scheduled Caste Certificates in the year 2017-18. It is submitted that those Caste Certificates are valid Caste Certificates. It is contended that by means of the impugned Notification, new Caste Certificates duly updated by classifying the applicants under one of the internal reservation categories, are being sought by the respondent No.2.

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Therefore the petitioners are unable to register themselves online as eligible candidates for the Common Entrance

Test-2026 Examinations.

Today, the learned counsel for the respondent No.2 has filed a statement of objection, justifying the action of the respondents. We note that a statement of objection had also been filed by the learned Additional Government Advocate on 10.04.2026 and a Memo for Production of Document on 19.06.2026 in which they have sought to justify the Notification. It has also been brought to our notice that there is a Public Interest Litigation (Writ Petition No.200448/2025) pending before a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court challenging, inter alia, the Notifications impugned in the present petition.

It is stated by the learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the State that, initially in the Public Interest Litigation, the implementation of reservation of 56% was challenged, but thereafter several other petitions

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have been tagged to the aforesaid petition in which the Notifications impugned in the present petition are also under challenge.

However, in para 3 of the statement of objection filed on behalf of the respondent No.2 today, it is stated as follows:

“3. This Respondent herewith produces the copy of the Online CET Applications filed by the Petitioners as Annexures R-1, R-2 and R-3 respectively. A perusal of the application reveal that the Petitioners have shown their Reservation Category as SC-'Beda Jangama'. The Certificates issued to the Petitioners is of the year 2017. This Respondent has no Authority or Jurisdiction to verify the veracity of the same. If the Petitioners even now apply to the Competent Authority and furnish the SC Certificate as required in law, within 21 days, this Respondent will accommodate correction of their applications and proceed further in accordance with law. If any relaxation is to be given to the petitioners at this juncture, similarly placed students will follow suit which will result in disruption of the counselling schedule besides giving room for complaints of discrimination meted out by KEA.”

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The learned counsel for the petitioners fairly states

on the basis of the instructions from the parties who are stated to be present in Court that the offer made on behalf of respondent No.2 in para 3 of the statement of objections filed today is acceptable to the petitioners.

Therefore, it is directed that tomorrow i.e., 30.06.2026, the petitioners shall submit the physical copies of the applications duly filled in along with the said caste certificates issued during the year 2017-2018. The uploading of the actual online form along with the requisite caste certificates issued as per the Notification dated 20.01.2026 (Annexure-B) shall be done no later than 21 days from tomorrow.

It is clarified that in case the forms are not submitted by the petitioners tomorrow and the certificates prescribed under the Notification in Annexure-B dated 20.01.2026 are not filed by the petitioners within the said period of 21 days, it shall be open to the respondents to proceed to

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allot the seat to other eligible candidates in accordance

with law.

With the aforesaid directions/observations, this writ

petition is disposed of.

Sd/(JAYANT BANERJI) JUDGE

Sd/(TARA VITASTA GANJU) JUDGE

tsn* List No.: 1 Sl No.: 35