IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 6^TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD WRIT PETITION NO. 35009 OF 2024 (GM-R/C)

BETWEEN:

VASANTHI @ VASANTHA LAXMI D/O LATE ANANTHESHWARA BHAT AGED BOUT 64 YEARS R/AT 'SHREE DEVEE'

ANILAKODI, SEDIYAPU, BANNUR VILLAGE AND POST, PUTTUR, D.K.574 203 … PETITIONER (BY SRI. KESHAVA BHAT A., ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF Digitally HINDU RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND signed by VANAMALA CHARITABLE ENDOWMENTS N VIDHANA SOUDHA Location:

HIGH COURT BANGALORE-560 001 OF KARNATAKA

2. THE RAJYA DHARMIKA PARISHAD DEPARTMENT OF HINDU RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND CHARITABLE ENDOWMENTS

4^TH FLOOR, MINTOSHREE ANJANEYA BHAVAN ALLUR VENKATARAO ROAD CHAMRAJPET BANGALORE-560 018

3. THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE RAJYA DHARMIKA PARISHAD DEPARTMENT OF HINDU RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND CHARITABLE ENDOWMENTS

4^TH FLOOR, MINTOSHREE ANJANEYA BHAVAN -

ALLUR VENKATARAO ROAD CHAMRAJPET BANGALORE-560 018

4. SHREE MAHALINGESHWARA TEMPLE PUTTUR TOWN PUTTUR TALUK PUTTUR, D K 574 203 REPRESENTED BY ITS EXECUTIVE OFFICER

5. THE PRADHANA ARCHAK/CHIEF PRIEST SRI MAHALINGESHWARA TEMPLE PUTTUR TOWN PUTTUR, D.K - 574 203 6. B. ISHWAR NAIKA AGED MAJOR S/O NARNU NAIKA R/AT NO.22/2/15/36B

2^ND CROSS ROAD, KHB COLONY, RAILWAY ROAD, SAMETADKAR, DARBE POST, PUTTUR TALUK D.K. DISTRICT-574 203

7. KRISHNAVENI W/O T.VISHWANATHA NAYAK AGED MAJOR R/AT NO.5-380 MOHAN'S COMPOUND DHUMAVATHI ROAD, MANJALAPADAPU, KABAKA VILLAGE AND POST NEHARU NAGAR, PUTTUR TALUK D.K.DISTRICT-574 203 8. NALINI P SHETTY AGED MAJOR W/O LATE PUSHPARAJ SHETTY R/AT NO.3-154/22-1-510-908 JANANI HOUSE, SAMETADKA PUTTUR TALUK D.K.DISTRICT-574 203

9. ISHWARA BHAT AGED MAJOR S/O LATE KESHAVA BHAT P R/AT PANJIGUDDE HOUSE PADNOORU VILLAGE AND POST PUTTUR TALUK D K DISTRICT - 574 203 10. DINESH KULAL P.V.

AGED MAJOR S/O P.VENKAPPA R/AT NO.2-2, CHAITRA HOUSE MURAGOWDA, BEHIND SAMUDAYA BHAVAN KABAKA, PUTTUR TALUK D.K.DISTRICT-574 203.

11. MAHABALA RAI AGED MAJOR S/O KITTANNA RAI R/AT SHIVAPRASADA VOLATHADAKA HOUSE ARYAPU RURAL, ARYAPUR D.K.DISTRICT-574 203

12. SUBHASH RAI AGED MAJOR S/O LATE RAMAMOHAN RAI R/AT ALVA'S COMPOUND KALLIMOORU HOUSE PUTTUR KASABA VILLAGE, PUTTUR TALUK D.K.DISTRICT-574 203 13. VINAYA KUMAR B AGED MAJOR S/O NARAYANA POOJARY R/AT NO.2-269, MUGERADKA HOUSE NARIMOGARU VILLAGE AND POST PUTTUR TALUK D.K.DISTRICT-574 203 … RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. NAVYA SHEKHAR, AGA FOR R1 TO R3;

SRI G. BALAKRISHNA SHASTRY, ADVOCATE FOR C/R9;

R4 TO R13 ARE SERVED)

THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO CALL FOR THE ENTIRE RECORDS PERTAINING TO THE GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION NO. HRICE-ADMOADM8/209/2024/E- 1500319 ANNEXURE-A DTD. 17.12.2024 FROM THE FILE OF THE R-3 AND ON PERUSAL OF THE SAME AND ETC.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD

ORAL ORDER

The petitioner has impugned the constitution of the Management Committee for the Shree Mahalingeshwara Temple, Puttur, Dakshina Kannada [the fourth respondent, which is hereafter referred to as ‘the Temple’], and this Committee is constituted by the impugned Notification dated 17.12.2024[Annexure-A]. On 19.12.2024, this Court has granted interim order staying the operation of the impugned Notification dated 17.12.2024[therefore the constitution of the Committee],but this Court has observed that the order will be in force if the notification is not given effect to.

2. However, on 05.03.2025, this Court has permitted the Committee to function subject to the result of the petition. The learned counsel for ninth respondent [a member of the Committee] has placed on record that the impugned notification is given effect on 18.12.2024. Consequentially, the petitioner has filed an application to restrain the Committee so constituted from functioning asserting that the Resolution dated 18.12.2024 is drawn hurriedly. Mr. A. Keshava Bhat, the lea