IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 24^TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R. NATARAJ WRIT PETITION NO. 31795 OF 2025 (LB-RES)

BETWEEN:

SRI. SHANKARAMURTHY N.C., S/O CHANDAIAH N.C., AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, ADHYAKSHA OF NIDAGATTA GRAM PANCHAYATH, RESIDING AT NIDAGATTA VILLAGE, SAKRAYAPATTANA HOBLI, KADUR TALUK, CHIKKAMAGALURU DISTRICT-577 548.

…PETITIONER (BY SRI. HARISH KUMAR M C., ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS Digitally UNDER SECRETARY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF RURAL signed by SUMA DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHAYATH RAJ, Location: VIDHANA SOUDHA, BANGALORE-560 001.

HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA 2. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, TARIKERE SUB DIVISION, TARIKERE, CHIKKAMAGALURU-577 228.

3. THE NIDATTA GRAMAPANCHAYATH PANCHAYATH, RPTD BY ITS PANCHAYATH DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, NIDAGATTA VILLAGE, SAKRAYAPATTANA HOBLI, KADUR TALUK, CHIKKAMAGALURU DISTRICT-577 548.

4. SRI. RAJAPPA N.K., S/O. KARIYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, MEMBER OF NIDAGATTA GRAMA PANCHAYATH, 5. SRI. VISWANATHA N.C. S/O. CHANDAIAHKARIYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, MEMBER OF NIDAGATTA GRAMA PANCHAYATH, 6. SMT. GEETHA N.C, W/O. TIRUMALEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, MEMBER OF NIDAGATTA GRAMA PANCHAYATH, 7. SMT. LAXMAMMA, W/O. HANUMANTHAPPA, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS.

MEMBER OF NIDAGATTA GRAMA PANCHAYATH, 8. SMT. GEETHANJALI, W/O. SURESH, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, MEMBER OF NIDAGATTA GRAMA PANCHAYATH, 9. SMT. SHYLAJA, D/O. THIMMALAH, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, MEMBER OF NIDAGATTA GRAMA PANCHAYATH, THE RESPONDENTS NO.4 TO 9 ARE ALL RESIDING AT NIDAGATTA VILLAGE, SAKRAYAPATTANA HOBLI, KADUR TALUK, CHIKKAMAGALURU DISTRICT-577 548.

10. SRI. NINGARAJU, S/O. HUCHHAPPA, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, MEMBER OF NIDAGATTA GRAMA PANCHAYATH R/AT. TIPPANAHALLI VILLAGE, NIDAGATTA POST, SAKRAYAPATTANA HOBLI, KADUR TALUK, CHIKKAMAGALURU DISTRICT-577 548

11. SRI. VENKTESH H, S/O HANUMANTHAPPA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, MEMBER OF NIDAGATTA GRAMA PANCHAYATH NIDAGATTA POST, R/AT. DASARAKALONI, SAKRAYAPATTANA HOBLI, KADUR TALUK, CHIKKAMAGALURU DISTRICT-577 548

12. SMT. GEETHA B.L, W/O. RAJASHEKAR, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, MEMBER OF NIDAGATTA GRAMA PANCHAYATH R/AT. CHATNAHALLI VILLAGE, NIDAGATTA POST, SAKRAYAPATTANA HOBLI, KADUR TALUK, CHIKKAMAGALURU DISTRICT-577 548

13. SMT. SAVITHA, W/O. SHIVAPPA, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, MEMBER OF NIDAGATTA GRAMA PANCHAYATH R/AT. NEERGUNDAMATHA, NIDAGATTA POST, SAKRAYAPATTANA HOBLI, KADUR TALUK, CHIKKAMAGALURU DISTRICT-577 548.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI.H.K.KENCHEGOWDA, AGA FOR RESPONDENT NOS.1 AND 2)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED NOTIFICATION BEARING NO.ELN/GRA.PAM. AVISWASA/06/2025-26 DATED 08-10-2025 IN FORM NO.2 (NOTICE UNDER RULES 3(2)) ISSUED BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT PRODUCED AT ANNEXURE-A AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R. NATARAJ

ORAL ORDER

The petitioner has challenged a notice bearing No.ELN/Gra.Pam.Aviswasa/06/2025-26 dated 08.10.2025 issued by the respondent No.2 convening a meeting of the members of the panchayath on 27.10.2025 to consider a motion of no-confidence.

2. The petitioner was elected as an Adhyaksha of the respondent No.3 on 09.02.2024. The members of the respondent No.3 submitted a notice in Form No.1 before the respondent No.2 expressing lack of confidence in the petitioner. The respondent No.2 issued a notice to the petitioner and other members of the panchayath proposing to hold a meeting of the members on 27.10.2025. The petitioner being aggrieved by the said notice is before this Court in this writ petition.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner with a good intention to make his constituency a model village panchayath had actively taken up development works, which was appreciated by the State Government and a prize was awarded. The Panchayath was also selected for the Gandi Grama Puraskar for the period 2023-24 and awarded a cash prize of Rs.5,00,000/-. He contends that hi