Reserved on : 09.02.2026 Pronounced on : 17.03.2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BANGALORE DATED THIS THE 17^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND WRIT PETITION No. 2972 OF 2026 (S-KSAT)

BETWEEN:

1. DR. UMESHA G., S/O LATE GATTAIAH P AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, PRESENTLY WORKING AS JOINT REGISTRAR OF CO OPERATIVE SOCIETIES (ICDP), OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR OF CO OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, No.1, ALI ASKER ROAD, BANGALORE-560052, RESIDING AT No.903, SATTVA ANUGRAHA APARTMENTS, Digitally TOWER 13, SUMMANAHALLI, signed by BANGALORE-560091, VINUTHA B S PH 9482578831, Location:

High Court of EMAIL ID: UMESHGATTI75@GMAIL.COM Karnataka …PETITIONER (BY SRI SATISH K., ADVOCATE)

AND:

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

2. THE REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, DEPARTMENT OF CO OPERATION, No.1, ALI ASKAR ROAD, BANGALORE-560052.

3. SRI N. VENKATESH, FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONER, MAJOR, PRESENTLY WORKING AS JOINT REGISTRAR OF CO OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, BANGALORE DIVISION, No.146, SAHAKARA SOUDHA, 8^TH CROSS, MALLESWARAM, BANGALORE-560003. 4. SRI P. MAHESH, FATHER'S NAME NOT KNOWN TO THE PETITIONER MAJOR, PRESENTLY WORKING AS JOINT REGISTRAR OF CO OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, TOWN BANK CELL, OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR OF CO OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, No.1, ALI ASKAR ROAD, BANGALORE-560052 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI V. SHIVAREDDY, AGA FOR R1 & R2;

SRI SURESH S. LOKRE, SENIOR ADVOCATE FOR SRI SIDDANOORU VISHWANATH, ADVOCATE FOR R3;

SMT. KSHAMA NARAGUND, ADVOCATE FOR SMT. SONA VAKKUND, ADVOCATE FOR R4)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 29.01.2026 PASSED BY THE HON'BLE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL, BANGALORE IN APPLICATION No.5000/2025 (ANNEXURE-A) AND CONSEQUENTLY ALLOW THE SAID APPLICATION No. 5000/2025 PREFERRED BY THE PETITIONER, AS PRAYED FOR, (ANNEXURE-B), IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY.

THIS PETITION HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED FOR ORDERS, COMING ON FOR PRONOUNCEMENT THIS DAY, K.V. ARAVIND J., MADE THE FOLLOWING:-

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND C.A.V. ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K.V. ARAVIND)

Heard Sri K. Satish, learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri V. Shivareddy, learned Additional Government Advocate for respondent Nos.1 and 2, Sri Suresh S.Lokre, learned Senior Counsel appearing for Sri Siddanooru Vishwanath, learned counsel for respondent No.3 and Smt. Kshama Naragund, learned counsel appearing for Smt. Sona Vakkund, learned counsel for respondent No.4.

2. The applicant in Application No.5000/2025 has filed the present writ petition challenging the order dated 29.01.2026 passed by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal, Bangalore (for short, “the Tribunal”).

3. The brief facts are that all the three officers belong to the cadre of Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies. The petitioner was posted as Administrator of the Tumkur District Milk Producers Co-operative Societies Union by order dated 13.11.2023. Respondent No.3, who was working as Personal Secretary to the Hon’ble Minister for Co-operation, came to be transferred and posted as Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies (ICDP) in the Office of the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Bangalore, against a vacant post, by Notification dated 29.02.2024.

3.1 After the elections were completed in Tumkur District Milk Producers Co-operative Societies Union, the petitioner handed over charge of the post of Administrator and was relieved from Tumkur on 22.01.2025. By order dated 27.02.2025, the petitioner was posted as Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Bangalore Division, Bangalore, in place of Sri Ashwath Narayan, and the petitioner took charge on

28.02.2025.

3.2 Respondent No.3 was transferred from the post of Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies (ICDP), Office of the Registra