IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 12^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI WRIT PETITION NO.100469 OF 2026 (CS-EL/M)

BETWEEN:

1. SRI SANGAPPA SHIVAPPA JIVOJI SHARE NO. 12, AGE: 85 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: SANGEDEVARAKOPPA, TQ: KALAGHATAGI, DIST: DHARWAD.

2. SRI NINGAPPA FAKIRAPPA UGNIKERI (NIBANNAVAR), SHARE NO: 121, AGE: 50 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: SANAGEDEVARAKOPPA, TQ: KALAGHATAGI, DIST: DHARWAD.

Digitally signed by YASHAVANT NARAYANKAR 3. SRI NAGAPPA SANGAPPA MUDENNAVAR, Location: HI GH COURT OF SHARE NO: 161, KARNATAKA AGE: 42 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: SANGEDEVARAKOPPA, 4. SRI SANGAPPA CHENAPPA KANTEPANNAVAR, SHARE NO: 167, AGE: 55 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: SANGEDEVARAKOPPA, 5. SRI RUDRAYYA SHANTAVVA HOSMATH, SHARE NO: 183, AGE: 48 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: SANGEDEVARAKOPPA, TQ: KALAGHATAGI, DIST: DHARWAD.

6. SRI SANGAPPA HANUMANTHAPPA KATTIMANI, SHARE NO: 184, AGE: 48 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: SANGEDEVARAKOPPA, TQ: KALAGHATAGI, DIST: DHARWAD. 7. SRI NAGAPPA NINGAPPA BETGERI, SHARE NO: 216, AGE: 38 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: SANGEDEVARAKOPPA, TQ: KALAGHATAGI, DIST: DHARWAD.

8. SRI NINGAPPA BHIMAPPA MUMMIGATTI, SHARE NO: 168, AGE: 55 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: SANGEDEVARAKOPPA, TQ: KALAGHATAGI, DIST: DHARWAD. 9. SRI NAGAPPA KALLAPPA KURUBAR, SHARE NO: 176, AGE: 45 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: SANGEDEVARAKOPPA, 10. SRI NINGAPPA MALLAPPA KUBYAL, SHARE NO: 59, AGE: 82 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: MADIKIHONNALLI, TQ: KALAGHATAGI, DIST: DHARWAD.

11. SRI HANUMANTHAPPA CHENMALLAPPA MARALINGAPPANNAVAR, SHARE NO: 137, AGE: 50 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: MADKIHONNALLI, TQ: KALAGHATAGI, DIST: DHARWAD.

12. SRI MALLESHAPPA KALLAPPA MUDEKNNAVAR, SHARE NO: 79, AGE: 52 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: MADKIHONNALLI, TQ: KALAGHATAGI, DIST: DHARWAD.

…PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SANTOSH KUMAR B.MALLIGAWAD, ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY, DEPT. OF CO-OPERATION, VIKAS SOUDHA, BENGALURU-580001.

2. THE DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY, DHARWAD DISTRICT-580001.

3. THE ASSISTANT REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY, DHARWAD DISTRICT-580001. 4. THE RETURNING OFFICER, PRATHAMIKA KRUSHI PATTINA SAHAKAR SANGHA MADAKIHONNALLI, AND CO-OPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, ASSISTANT REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY, DHARWAD DISTRICT-581204.

5. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PRATHAMIKA KRUSHI PATTINA SAHAKAR SANGHA MADAKIHONNALLI, TQ: KALAGHATAGI, DIST: DHARWAD-581204.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. T. HANUMAREDDY, ADDL. GOVT. ADV. FOR R1 TO R3;

SRI. G.V. BHARAMAGOUDAR, ADVOCATE FOR R4;

SRI. VIJAYA KUMAR BALAGERIMATH, ADVOCATE FOR R5)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND

227 OF CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO 1. ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF CERTIORARI QUASHING THE INELIGIBLE VOTER LIST DATED 04.12.2025 BEARING NUMBER RZ./ELECTION/RIANE/IM/K/CR 213/2025-26 ISSUED BY RESPONDENT NO. 3 VIDE ANNEXURE B, 2. GRANT ANY OTHER RELIEF, WHICH THIS HON’BLE COURT MAY FIT IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY.

THIS WRIT PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI

ORAL ORDER

Petitioners are seeking a direction to the respondents to include the names of petitioners in the eligible voters list and permit the petitioners to cast their votes in the election to be conducted to the respondent No.5-Society, which was scheduled to be held on 24.01.2026.

2. This Court, by way of interim arrangement on

23.01.2026, permitted the petitioners to cast their votes in the ensuing elections scheduled to be held on 24.01.2026 for the Managing Committee of respondent No.5-Society subject to the final outcome of this writ petition.

3. The challenge in this writ petition is on the premise that notice under Rule 13 of the Karnataka Co- Operative Societies Rules, 1960 (‘the KCS Rules, 1960’ for short) is not issued.

4. The case of the petitioners is that the petitioners are active me