IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19^TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO. 24994 OF 2025 (EDN-RES)

BETWEEN:

1. SARBJEET KAUR W/O LATE SH. BALJINDER SINGH, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, RESIDENT OF PUNIA PATTI, CHHAJLI, P.O. CHHAJLI DISTRICT SANGRUR, PUNJAB …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SUKDEV SINGH KHOKHER FOR SRI. SIDDARAJU T, ADVOCATE)

AND:

Digitally signed 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA by SREEDHARAN REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, BANGALORE SUSHMA GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, LAKSHMI VIDHANA SOUDHA, Location: High Court of DR. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, Karnataka BANGALORE – 560 001.

KARNATAKA

2. DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, M.S.BUILDING, DR AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BANGALORE – 560 001.

KARNATAKA.

3. KARNATAKA STATE OPEN UNIVERSITY REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR, MUKHTAGANGOTRI, MYSURU – 570 006.

KARNATAKA.

4. DEPARTMENT OF POST REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, DAK BHAWAN, SANSAD MARG, NEW DELHI – 110 001.

5. DIRECTOR GENERAL OF POSTAL SERVICES DAK BHAWAN, SANSAD MARG, NEW DELHI – 110 001.

6. CHIEF POST MASTER GENERAL PUNJAB CIRCLE, SANDESH BHAWAN, SECTOR 17-E, CHANDIGARH – 160 017.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. MANJUNATH K, HCGP FOR R1 & R2;

SRI.T.P.RAJENDRA KUMAR SUNGAY, ADVOCATE FOR R3;

SMT. DEEPA J, ADVOCATE FOR R4 TO R6)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 SND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS, DIRECTING RESPONDENT NO. 3 TO VERIFY AND AUTHENTICATE THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (B.SC. IT) DEGREE AWARDED TO THE PETITIONER IN THE YEAR 2013 FOR THE EXAMINATION HELD IN THE YEAR OF 2012 AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR

ORAL ORDER

In this petition, the petitioner seeks the following reliefs:

a) Issue a writ in the nature of mandamus, directing Respondent No. 3 to verify and authenticate the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (B.Sc. IT) degree awarded to the petitioner in the year 2013 for the examination held in the year of 2012, by the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), i.e., Annexure-B and to forward the verification to the concerned appointing authority i.e., Respondent Nos. 4 to 6, so as to enable the petitioner to avail the compassionate appointment granted to her by the Department of Posts pursuant to Memo No. Rectt/4- 3/2023 dated 20.03.2025 i.e., Annexure-E, as the petitioner obtained her degree prior to the discontinuation of collaborative programmes (08.08.2014), and hence her degree cannot be retrospectively invalidated, hence the refusal of Respondent No. 3 to verify the same, without examining individual facts, is arbitrary, mechanical, and reflects non-application of mind and further the compassionate appointment already granted to the petitioner by the Department of Posts does not involve any technical qualification, and mere non-verification is depriving her of livelihood in violation of Articles 14, 16, and 21 of the Constitution..

b) Pass any such other order/s as this Hon'ble Court deems fit in the circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice and equity.”

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner, learned High Court Government Pleader for the respondent Nos.1 and 2, learned counsel for the respondent No.3 and learned counsel for the respondent Nos.4 to 6 and perused the material on record. 3. A perusal of the material on record would indicate that the issue in controversy is directly and squarely covered by the judgments of this Court in the cases of Sri.Thirumalesh C.A. vs. State of Karnataka & others - W.P.No.2795/2022 Dated 02.08.2022; (ii) KSOU & Anr. Vs. Sri.Thirumalesh C.A. - W.A.No.1025/2022 Dated 03.09.2024; (iii) Smt.Snehalatha P. vs. State of Karnataka & others – W.P.No.8638/2016 Dated 03.03.2016; (iv) Sri.Manoj M. vs. The Deputy Commissioner & Anr. - W.P.No.25361/2017 Dated 13.06.2017; (v) Suhas M. & other