HC-KAR IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 12^TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL WRIT PETITION NO. 1842 OF 2023 (GM-R/C)

C/W WRIT PETITION NO. 6469 OF 2023 (GM-R/C)

IN WP No. 1842/2023 BETWEEN:

SRI NARASIMHA PRASAD M S SON OF M.S. SRINIVAS AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS RESIDING AT SARANGAPANI TEMPLE STREET KOTE, MALAVALLI MANDYA DISTRICT - 571 430.

…PETITIONER Digitally (BY SRI. JANARDHANA G.,ADVOCATE)

signed by SUMA B N AND:

Location:

HIGH COURT OF 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA KARNATAKA MINISTRY OF MUZRAI REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY VIDHANA SOUDHA BENGALURU - 560 001.

2. THE COMMISSIONER RELIGIOUS CHARITABLE ENDOWMENTS COMMISSION AND APPELLATE AUTHORITY

4^TH FLOOR, SREE MINTO ANJAYNAYASWAMY BHAVANA ALUR VANKAT RAO ROAD CHAMRAJPET HC-KAR BENGALURU - 560 018.

3. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER MANDYA DISTRICT MANDYA - 571 401.

4. SRI. SATHANARAYANA SON OF THELATE KRISHNA BHAT AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS

5. SRI. KRISHNA PRASAD M.S.

SON OF SATHAYANARAYANA AGED ABOUT 27 YEARS RESPONDENT NOS. 4 & 5 MAREHALLI VILLAGE MALAVALLI TALUK MANDYA DISTRICT - 571 430.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. B. SUKANYA BALIGA AGA FOR R1 TO R3;

SRI. H.V. PRAVEEN GOWDA,ADVOCATE FOR R4 & R5)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASHING THE ORDER DATED 05.01.2023 IN CASE NO.ADM7/AP13/2022.23(E-854184) PASSED BY THE R2 VIDE ANNEXURE-K.

IN WP NO. 6469/2023 BETWEEN:

1. SRI SATHYANARAYANA S/O LT KRISHNA BHAT AGED ABOUT 63 YERS

2. SRI KRISHNA PRASAD S/O SATHYANARAYANA AGED ABOUT 27 YEARS HC-KAR BOTH R/AT MAREHALLI VILLAGE MALAVALLI TALUK MANDYA DISTRICT - 571 430.

...PETITIONERS (BY SRI. H.V. PRAVEEN GOWDA, ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. THE COMMISSIONER HINDU RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND CHARITABLE ENDOWMENTS GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA A V R ROAD, CHAMARAJAPET BENGALURU - 560 018.

2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER MANDYA DISTRICT MANDYA - 571 423.

3. SRI NARASIMHA PRASAD M S S/O M S SRINIVAS AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS RA/T NO 1384, 4^TH CROSS KRISHNAMURTHYPURAM MYSORE - 570 008.

...RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. B. SUKANYA BALIGA., AGA FOR R1 TO R3;

SRI. H.V. PRAVEEN GOWDA.,ADVOCATE FOR R4 & R5) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO PRAYING TO QUASHING THE ORDER DATED 05.01.2023 IN CASE NO.ADM7/AP13/2022-23, PASSED BY THE R1 VIDE ANNEXURE -K.

THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN 'B' GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL HC-KAR

ORAL ORDER

Petitioners in both petitions in W.P.Nos.1842/2023 and

6469/2023 are before this Court being aggrieved by the Order dated 05.01.2023 (as per Annexure-K in W.P.No.1842/2023 and Annexure-A in W.P.No.6469/2023 respectively) in terms of which respondent No.2- Commissioner, Religious Charitable Endowments Commission and Appellant Authority has set aside the earlier Order dated 28.07.2022 passed by the respondent No.3-Deputy Commissioner with a direction to appoint the archakas to Sree Lakshminarshimaswamy Temple, Marehalli Village, Malavalli Taluk, Mandya District in terms of Rule 12 of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Rules, 2002.

2. Issue pertains to appointment of Archakas in respect of Sree Lakshminarshimaswamy Temple, Marehalli Village, Malavalli Taluk, Mandya District. That the respondent No.3- Deputy Commissioner as per Official Memorandum at Annexure-C had appointed the petitioner herein and respondent No.5 as the Archakas of the aforesaid temple to HC-KAR discharge their duties and functions on rotational basis. Being aggrieved by the said order, respondent Nos.4 and 5 in W.P.No.1842/2023 who are the petitioners in W.P.No.6469/2023 had preferred an appeal before the respondent No.2-Commissioner, in Appeal No.ADM7/AP13/2022-23, who has passed the impugned order dated 05.01.2023 as noted above.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioners in both the petitions taking this Court through the records submit in unison that the respondent No.2-Commissioner has committed error and illegality in se