IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 13^th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P. SANDESH AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T WRIT PETITION NO.38263 OF 2025 (S-KSAT)

IN W.P. NO.38263 OF 2025:

BETWEEN:

SRI VIJAYA KUMAR CHAVADANNAVAR S/O. LATE NAGAPPA AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS CHIEF ENGINEER, PANCHAYATH RAJ ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT (NOW WITHOUT POSTING)

RESIDING AT NO.18

23RD CROSS, 2ND BLOCK RAJAJINAGAR BENGALURU-560 010.

…PETITIONER (BY SRI P.S. RAJAGOPAL, SENIOR COUNSEL FOR Digitally signed by MOUNESHWARAPPA SRI SUBRAMANI M.A., ADVOCATE)

NAGARATHNA Location: High C ourt of Karnataka AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF PERSONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS, VIDHANA SOUDHA BENGALURU-560 001.

2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHAYATH RAJ DEPARTMENT

3RD FLOOR, M.S. BUILDING BENGALURU-560 001.

3. SRI K. SRINATH S/O. KRISHNA MURTHY AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS WORKING AS ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF PANCHAYATH RAJ ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT GRAMEENABHIVRUDHI BHAVAN ANAND RAO CIRCLE BENGALURU-560 009.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI V. SHIVAREDDY, AGA FOR R-1 AND R-2;

SRI B.O. ANIL KUMAR, ADVOCATE FOR R-3)

* * *

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND

227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION TO QUASH ORDER DATED 04/12/2025 PASSED BY THE HON'BLE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL IN APPLICATION NO.3761/2025 (ANNEXURE-A) II) CONSEQUENTLY ALLOW APPLICATION NO.3761/2025 ON THE FILE OF THE HON'BLE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL AND ETC.

THIS WRIT PETITION, HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED ON 22-01-2026 COMING ON FOR PRONOUNCEMENT OF ORDER, THIS DAY, VENKATESH NAIK T. J., PRONOUNCED THE FOLLOWING:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P. SANDESH AND HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T

CAV ORDER

(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T.)

The petitioner, belonging to the cadre of Chief Engineer in the Panchayath Raj Engineering Department (hereinafter referred to as 'PRED') has filed this writ petition to issue a writ of certiorari or any other appropriate writ, order or direction to quash the order dated 04.12.2025 passed by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal, Bengaluru, (hereinafter referred to as 'Tribunal') in Application No.3761/2025 and consequently to allow Application No.3761/2025 on the file of the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal.

2. The brief facts of the case of petitioner is as under: The petitioner belongs to the first respondent's department (hereinafter referred to as 'DPAR'). Previously the petitioner was in Public Works Department. By an order dated 07.10.2013 issued by respondent No.1 under Rule 16-A(ii) of the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977, the petitioner, who was in the cadre of Superintending Engineer, has been permanently absorbed to the PRED, which is a sub-department within second respondent, Rural Development and Panchayath Raj Department (hereinafter referred to as 'RDPR'). Thereafter by a notification dated 11.12.2019 issued by first respondent-DPAR, the petitioner has been promoted from the cadre of Superintending Engineer to the cadre of Chief Engineer and he was posted as Chief Engineer, PRED at Bengaluru.

3. The PRED is a separate department within second respondent - RDPR. There is a separate cadre and recruitment rules for the PRED, which is called as the Panchayath Raj Engineering Services (Cadre and Recruitment) Rules, 2021. As per the said rules, the cadre strength in respect of the cadre of Chief Engineer is only one post. The post of Chief Engineer is the head of the PRED. The petitioner has served in PRED for last 11 years and he has got unblemished service throughout. As a Chief Engineer from 11.12.2019, the petitioner was the head of the department in PRED and he has introduced several measures to reduce financial burden to the State exchequer.

4. On 03.10.2024, the second respondent