IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 27^TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO. 32077 OF 2025 (EDN-RES)

BETWEEN:

1. MR. BENANTONIO. R S/O MANVEL STEPHEN RODRIGUES, AGED ABOUT 24 YEARS RESIDENT OF JAYALAXMI NILAYAM, YASHODAMMA LAYOUT, SRINIDI NILAYA, 1^ST CROSS, 2^ND MAIN, KUDLU, BENGALURU-560 068, FORMER STUDENT, LL.B (3 YEAR) PROGRAMME, DAYANANDA SAGAR UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF LAW, BENGALURU.

2. MR. KARTIKKUMAR S S/O SHIVASWAMY R Digitally signed AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS by CHANDANA RESIDENT OF NO.607, B M

4^TH MAIN, 2^ND STAGE, 9^TH BLOCK, Location: H igh NAGARBHAVI, BENGALURU-560 072, Court of FORMER STUDENT Karnataka LL.B (3 YEAR) PROGRAMME, DAYANANDA SAGAR UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF LAW, BENGALURU.

…PETITIONERS (BY SRI. HARSHA PRABHAKAR, ADVOCATE FOR SMT. AISHWARYA.M, ADVOCATE)

AND:

DAYANANDA SAGAR UNIVERSITY A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY ESTABLISHED UNDER THE DAYANANDA SAGAR UNIVERSITY ACT, 2012 HAVING ITS OFFICE AT KUDLU GATE CAMPUS, HOSUR MAIN ROAD BENGALURU-560 068.

REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR, DR.PUTTAMADAPPA C.

…RESPONDENT (BY SRI. BADRI VISHAN, ADVOCATE)

THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENT-UNIVERSITY TO CONSIDER AND AWARD MEDALS TO THE TOPPERS OF THE LL.B. (3- YEAR) PROGRAMME FOR THE 2022 BATCH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(iv) OF THE DAYANANDA SAGAR UNIVERSITY ACT, 2012 AND IN A FAIR AND NON-DISCRIMINATORY MANNER.

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

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

ORAL ORDER

In this petition, petitioner seeks for the following reliefs:-

“ a) Issue a Writ of Mandamus, or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, directing the Respondent –University to consider and award medals to the toppers of the LL.B(3-years) Programme for the 2022 Batch, in accordance with Section 8(iv) of the Dayananda Sagar University Act, 2012 and in a fair and non-

discriminatory manner;

b. Issue a writ of Mandamus, or any other appropriate writ, order, or direction, restraining the Respondent –university from conducting the convocation scheduled on 28^th October 2025, as per the invitation produced at Annexure-G, without including the medal distribution for students of the School of Law, pending due consideration and disposal of the Petitioner’s representations regarding medal eligibility;

c. Grant an interim order of stay on the operation and effect of any decision or communication excluding the school of Law from medal eligibility, until the final disposal of this Writ Petition;

d. Pass such other order(s) or direction(s) as this Hon’ble Court may deem fit, proper, and necessary in the facts and circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice and equity.”

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned counsel for respondent and perused the material on record.

3. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that the petitioner joined 3 year LLB programme at the respondent – University and successfully completed their course in May 2025. The 6^th semester marks card produced by the petitioners indicate that while petitioner No.1 obtained CGPA 8.44, petitioner No.2 obtained CGPA 8.18. It is the grievance of the petitioners that when they requested the respondent – University to award them Class, Ranks and Medals in the Convocation scheduled on 28.10.2025, the respondent – University intimated the petitioners that as per the Regulations for award of ranks and medals of the respondent – University, only students who have obtained CGPA more than 9 would be eligible to Rank and a Medal and refused to award Ranks and Medals to the petitioners, who are before this Court by way of the present petition.

4. Per contra, it is the contention of the respondent that as per Regulation No.8 w.e.f.2022-23, the minimum CGPA to be obtained / secured by a student should be equal to or more than to be eligible to be considered for a rank and consequent medal and since the peti