IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 5^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B. MURALIDHARA PAI WRIT APPEAL NO. 100750 OF 2025 (CS-EL/M)

BETWEEN:

TIMMAYYA S/O. GANGADHAR HEGDE, AGE: 44 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE & SERVICE, R/O: ULLAL, PO: BISIKOPPA, TQ: SIRSI, DIST: UTTARA KANNADA – 581 402.

… APPELLANT (BY SRI. ASHOK HARANAHALLI, SENIOR COUNSEL FOR SRI. MALLIKARJUNASWAMY B. HIREMATH &

SMT. KAVERI M. HIREMATH, ADVS.

APPEARED THROUGH V.C.)

AND:

1. STATE OF KARNATAKA, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATION, M.S.BUILDING, 6^TH FLOOR, BENGALURU-560 001.

Digitally signed by V N BADIGER Location: HIGH COURT OF K D A H R A N R A W T A A D KA 2. CO-OPERATIVE ELECTION AUTHORITY, BENCH REP.BY ITS COMMISSIONER, 3^RD FLOOR, SHANTI NAGAR, TTMC ‘A’ BLOCK, SHANTINAGAR, BENGALURU – 560 027.

3. JOINT REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, BELAGAVI REGION, BELAGAVI – 590 001.

4. DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT, KARWAR – 581 301.

5. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT, KARWAR & ELECTION OFFICER TO ALL FEDERAL BANKS IN UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT – 581 301.

6. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, SIRSI SUB-DIVISION, SIRSI &

RETURNING OFFICER, THE KANARA DISTRICT CENTRAL CO-OPERATIVE BANK LIMITED, SIRSI, U.K. DISTRICT- 581 301.

7. THE KANARA DISTRICT CENTRAL CO-OPERATIVE BANK LIMITED, SIRSI, U.K. DISTRICT, REPRESENTED BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR – 581 301.

8. KARNATAKA POWER CORPORATION EMPLOYEES CO-OP CREDIT SOCIETY LTD., AMBIKANAGAR, PIN -581 363, DIST:U.K., REP. BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERIAL NO.04 IN IN-ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST.

9. BANGURNAGAR ARTS, SCIENCE & COMMERCE COLLEGE STUDENTS CONSUMERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY, DANDELI, DIST: U.K.-581325, REP. BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERIAL NO.10 IN IN - ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST.

10. STUDENTS CO-OPERATIVE STORES LTD., P.M.HIGH SCHOOL, ANKOLA-581314, DIST: UTTARA KANNADA, REP. BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERIAL NO.09 IN IN-ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST. 11. STUDENTS CONSUMERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD., GOKHALE CENTENARY COLLEGE, ANKOLA – 581 314, DIST: UTTARA KANNADA, SERIAL NO. 05 IN IN-ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST.

12. NEW HIGH SCHOOL CONSUMERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD., BAAD – 581 351, KARWAR, DIST: UTTARA KANNADA, REP.BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERIAL NO. 07 IN ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST.

13. RURAL CONSUMERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD., NANDANGADDA – 581 304, KARWAR, DIST: UTTARA KANNADA, REP.BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERIAL NO. 02 IN IN ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST.

14. SHIRALI CONSUMERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD., (GRAHAKAR SAHAKARI SANGHA NIYAMITHA)

PIN-581304, KARWAR, DIST: UTTARA KANNADA, REP. BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERIAL NO. 03 IN IN-ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST.

15. S.D.M COLLEGE STUDENT CONSUMERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD. HONNAVAR DIST: UTTARA KANNADA, REP.BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERIAL NO. 11 IN IN-ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST.

16. S.K.P.JUNIOR COLLEGE VIDYARTHI GRAHAKARA SAHAKARI SANGHA NIYAMITHA, AREANGADI, HONNAVAR, DIST: UTTARA KANNADA – 581 334, REP.BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERIAL NO. 06 IN IN ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST.

17. VIDYARTHI GRAHAKARA SAHAKARI SANGHA LTD., SHRI RAJARAJESHWARI VIDYA SAMITI, SONDA-581336, SIRSI, DIST: UTTARA KANNADA – 581 336, REP.BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERIAL NO. 12 IN IN-ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST.

18. PRAGATI PROCESSING SOUHARDA SAHAKARI SANGHA NIYAMITHA, BAKKAL, SIRSI, DIST: UTTARA KANNADA – 581 336, REP.BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SERIAL NO.04 IN IN-ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST.

… RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. SHARAD V. MAGADUM, AGA FOR R1, R3, R4 & R5;

SRI. G.V. BHARAMAGOUDAR, ADVOCATE FOR R2 & R6; SRI. PRABHULING K. NAVADGI, SENIOR COUNSEL FOR SRI. VISHWANATH HEGDE & SMT. TANUJA HEGDE, ADVS. FOR R7 IS APPEARED THROUGH V.C;

SRI. VIDYASHANKAR G. DALWAI, ADV. FOR R13;

SRI. ANANT MANDAGI, SENIOR COUNSEL FOR SRI. SRINIVAS B. NAIK, ADV. FOR R14 & R18 APPEARED THROUGH VC)

(R8 TO R13, R15, R16 & R17 ARE SERVED BUT UNREPRESENTED) THIS WRIT APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 4 OF KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT,