ORDER :

R. DEVDAS J.

The petitioner was granted fishing rights in respect of Bargavathi lake, situated at Uduvege Village, by the respondent No.2-Village Panchayat. The petitioner was initially granted rights on 09.01.2015, for a period of three years from 2014-17. However, it has been pointed by the learned counsel for respondent No.4 that the petitioner was in fact granted fishing rights in the year 2014 for one year and thereafter the petitioner filed a writ petition before this Court and during the pendency of the said writ petition, at the assurance of respondent No.2-Village Panchayat, writ petition was withdrawn and thereafter lease was granted for three years. However, the State of Karnataka, Department of Fisheries issued Government Order dated 31.03.2017, stating that the year 2016-17 was declared as drought period and there shall be an extension of one year with respect to the fishing rights granted for the year 2016-17 subject to the condition that the lease amount or licence amount was already paid by the licensees.

2. Consequently, respondent No.2-Village Panchayat passed a resolution dated 09.07.2018 to extend the period of license granted to the petitioner herein till