IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 13^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN WRIT PETITION NO.31274 OF 2025 (LB-RES)

BETWEEN:

1. SMT. PUSHPA R. W/O DEVENDRAPPA, AGED ABOUT 27 YEARS, R/AT ANAJI VILLAGE AND POST, DAVANAGERE TALUK AND DISTRICT-577 512.

…PETITIONER (BY SRI. PRUTHVI WODEYAR, ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHAYAT RAJ, VIKAS SOUDHA, BENGALURU-01 REP BY ITS ADDL. CHIEF SECRETARY.

2. REGIONAL COMMISSIONER, BENGALURU DIVISION, 2ND FLOOR, B.M.T.C BUILDING, SHANTINAGAR, K.H. ROAD, BENGALURU-560 027.

3. PRESIDING OFFICER (GRAMA PANCHAYAT), DEPARTMENT RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHYAT RAJ, M.S. BUILDING, BENGALURU-01.

4. DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER BHAVAN, 1ST FLOOR, "B" BLOCK, ROOM NO.37, KARRORU INDUSTRIAL AREA, P.B. ROAD, DAVANAGERE-577 001.

5. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ZILLA PANCHAYAT, DAVANAGERE-577 001.

6. EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DAVANAGERE TALUK PANCHAYAT, DAVANAGERE DISTRICT-577 512.

7. ANAJI GRAMA PANCHAYAT, DAVANAGERE TALUK AND DISTRICT-577 512 REP BY ITS P.D.O.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. SPOORTHI V., HCGP., FOR R.1 TO R.4;

SRI. N.R. JAGADEESWARA, ADVOCATE FOR R.5 TO R.7.)

THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO QUASH THE ORDER DATED 31.07.2025 IN NO.GraAaPa 107 GPS 2024 PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.2 VIDE ANNEXURE-K, ETC.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS THROUGH PHYSICAL HEARING/VIDEO CONFERENCING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN

ORAL ORDER

1. The petitioner was a member of 7^th respondent - Anaji Gram Panchayat. On the ground that certain contractual works have been awarded to her husband by 7^th respondent Gram Panchayat, when the petitioner was a member of the said Gram Panchayat and that the said works have been awarded due to her influence and payments have been made to her husband in respect of the contractual works, proceedings were initiated against the petitioner for her removal from the membership of the Gram Panchayat as per Section 43-A of the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 (for short 'the Act'). Upon enquiry, respondent No.2 submitted a report dated 06.09.2024 to the Government recommending the removal of the petitioner (vide Annexure-'E' to the writ petition). The said report reads as under:-

ವರ(cid:3)

"¥Àæ¸ÁÛªÀ£ÉAiÀÄ°è «ªÀj¹zÀAvÉ, JzÀÄgÀÄzÁgÀgÁzÀ ²æêÀÄw ¥ÀĵÀà.Dgï PÉÆÃA zÉêÉÃAzÀæ¥Àà, ¸ÀzÀ¸ÀågÀÄ, Ctf UÁæªÀÄ ¥ÀAZÁ¬Äw, zÁªÀtUÉgÉ vÁ®ÆèPÀÄ, zÁªÀtUÉgÉ f¯Éè EªÀgÀ ªÉÄð£À DgÉÆÃ¥À ¸Á©üÃvÁVzÀÄÝ, ¸ÀzÀjAiÀĪÀgÀ «gÀÄzÀÞ PÀ£ÁðlPÀ UÁæªÀÄ ¸ÀégÁeï ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ¥ÀAZÁAiÀÄvï gÁeï C¢ü¤AiÀĪÀÄ, 1993 gÀ PÀ®A 43(J) gÀ£ÀéAiÀÄ PÀæªÀÄ dgÀÄV¸À®Ä ¸ÀPÁðgÀPÉÌ ²¥Ás gÀ¸ÀÄì ªÀiÁrzÉ."

2. Based on the report submitted by respondent No.2, respondent No.1 has passed an order disqualifying the petitioner from the membership of 7^th respondent -Gram Panchayat and has also prohibited her from contesting elections for a period of six years (vide Annexure-'K' to the writ petition).

The said order reads as under:-

ಆ(cid:5)ೇಶ ಪ(cid:10)(cid:11)ಾವ(cid:13) (cid:14)ೆಯ(cid:16)(cid:17) (cid:18)ವ(cid:19)(cid:20)ರುವ (cid:22)(cid:14)ೆ(cid:23)(cid:24)ೆಯ(cid:16) (cid:17) ti(cid:10)ೕಮ(cid:27), ಪ(cid:28)ಷ(cid:30).ಆ(cid:31). ೋಂ (cid:5)ೇ#ೇಂದ(cid:10)ಪ%, ಸದಸ’ರು, ಅಣ* +ಾ(cid:10)ಮ ಪಂ,ಾ-(cid:27), (cid:5)ಾವಣ+ೆ.ೆ /ಾಲೂಕ(cid:17) ು, (cid:5)ಾವಣ+ೆ.ೆ *(cid:24)ೆ (cid:17) ರವರ 2ೕ(cid:16)ರುವ ಆ.ೋಪಗಳ5 (cid:11)ಾ6ೕ/ಾ7ರುವ(cid:28)ದ(cid:19)ಂದ ಸದ(cid:19)ಯವರನು(cid:23) ಕ(cid:14)ಾ9ಟಕ +ಾ(cid:10)ಮ ಸ;.ಾ ಮತು (cid:13) ಪಂ,ಾಯ> .ಾ ಅ?@ಯಮ, 1993ರ ¥ÀæPÀgÀt 43(ಎ)ರB ಅಣ*-+ಾ(cid:10)ಮ ಪಂ,ಾ-(cid:27) ಸದಸ’ತ; ¸ÁÜನ(cid:3)ಂದ /ೆ+ೆದು DಾE ಆ(cid:5)ೇti(cid:20)(cid:5)ೆ Dಾಗೂ ಸದ(cid:19) ಅ?@ಯಮದ ಪ(cid:10)ಕರಣ

43(ಎ)(2)ರನ;ಯ 06 ವಷ9ಗಳವ.ೆ+ೆ ಚು(cid:14)ಾವNೆ+ೆ @ಲದ(cid:17) ಂ/ೆ ಅನಹ9+ೊP(cid:20) ಆ(cid:5)ೇti(cid:20)(cid:5)ೆ.

ಮುಂದುವ.ೆದು, ಆ ಸಂದಭ9ದ(cid:16) (cid:17) ಾಯ9@ವ9(cid:22)(cid:20)ದ Tಪಂ,ಾ-(cid:27) ಅUವೃ(cid:3) W ಅ? ಾ(cid:19) ರವರ Xಾತ(cid:10)ವ(cid:28) ಇರುವ (cid:22)ನ(cid:23)(cid:24)ೆಯ(cid:16) (cid:17) ಸದ(cid:19)ಯವರ (cid:18)