IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA,AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 23^RD DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025 R BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ WRIT PETITION NO. 107724 OF 2024 (CS-EL/M)

BETWEEN:

GOLAPPA S/O. BASAPPA DANASHETTI, AGE: 62 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

…PETITIONER (BY SRIYUTHS. SHIVARAJ P. MUDHOL, ANAND D. BAGEWADI, SHIVANAND MALASHETTI, ADVOCATES)

AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATION, M.S. BUILDING, BENGALURU-560001.

Digitally signed by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA 2. THE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES Location: HIGH ELECTION AUTHORITY BENGALURU, COURT OF REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, KARNATAKA BENGALURU-560001.

3. THE RETURNING OFFICER PRATHAMIK KRUSHI PATTIN SAHAKARI SANGH NIYAMIT, HULAKUND, AT: HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI, PIN-591114.

4. THE PRATHAMIK KRUSHI PATTIN SAHAKARI SANGH NIYAMIT, HULAKUND, AT: HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI, PIN- 591114.

5. SRI. RAMESH S/O. LAXMAPPA NINGARADDI, AGE: 54 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI, PIN -591114.

6. THE DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY BELAGAVI, DIST. BELAGAVI, PIN-580001.

7. NINGAPPA S/O. SHANKARAPPA CHINCHALI, AGE: 55 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

8. CHANNAPPA S/O. RUDRAPPA HUNDEKAR, AGE: 70 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

9. MAHADEVI W/O. PADEPPA PATIL, AGE: 47 YEARS, OCC. HOUSEHOLD WORK, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

10. MAHADEV S/O. SHEKHARAPPA JAMKHANDI, AGE: 54 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

11. PARAMANAND S/O. FAKIRAPPA METRI, AGE: 51 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

12. PANDAPPA S/O. HANMANTAPPA MIRJI, AGE: 59 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

13. HANUMANTH S/O. KRISHNAPPA KULAGOD, AGE: 47 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

14. RAMESH S/O. HANAMANT SINGADI, AGE: 28 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

15. LAKKAVVA W/O. RUDRAPPA JADAGI, AGE: 71 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

16. IRANNA S/O. GUDDAPPA GANGI, AGE: 55 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, R/O. HULAKUND, TALUK: RAMADURG, DIST. BELAGAVI.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRIYUTHS. RAMESH B. CHIGARI, AGA FOR R1 AND R6;

G.V. BHARAMAGOUDAR, ADVOCATE FOR R2 AND R3;

VIJAYKUMAR B.HORATTI, ADVOCATE FOR R4;

SRINIVAS B. NAIK, ADVOCATE FOR R5;

MAHANTESH R. PATIL, ADVOCATE FOR R7 TO R16)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 AND 227 OF CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO 1. TO ISSUE WRIT IN THE NATURE OF CERTIORARI TO QUASH IMPUGNED COMMUNICATION LETTER/ ORDER DATED 16/12/2024 IN NO.DRL/ELECTION/350/2024- 25 ISSUED BY THE 6^TH RESPONDENT I.E., DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO- OPERATIVE SOCIETY BELAGAVI, VIDE ANNEXURE-E. 2. TO ISSUE WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO DELETE THE NAME OF 5^TH RESPONDENT IN THE LIST OF CANDIDATES AND ETC., THIS WRIT PETITION, HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED FOR ORDERS ON 11.09.2025, COMING ON FOR PRONOUNCEMENT OF ORDERS THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:

CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ

CAV ORDER

(PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ)

1. The petitioner is before this Court seeking for the following reliefs:

1. To issue writ in the nature of certiorari to quash impugned communication letter/ order dated 16/12/2024 in no.DRL/ELECTION/350/2024-25 issued by the 6^th respondent i.e., Deputy Registrar of Co-Operative Society Belagavi, vide ANNEXURE-E.

2. To issue writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to delete the name of 5^th respondent in the list of candidates.

3. To issue any other order or directions as deems fit to the circumstances of the above case.

2. Respondent No.4 is stated to be a Primary Cooperative Society registered under the Karnataka Cooperative Societies Act, 1959 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the KCS Act’,