HC-KAR IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 20^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND WRIT PETITION NO.46925/2019 (S-KSAT)

C/W WRIT PETITION NO.6051/2019 (S-KSAT)

IN WP NO. 46925/2019 BETWEEN:

THE ADDITIONAL REGISTRAR (ENQUIRES-3)

KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA M.S.BUILDING, BENGALURU.

…PETITIONER (BY SRI. K PRASANNA SHETTY, ADV.)

AND:

Digitally signed by 1. MR. LALSAB M MUNDENAVAR NANJUNDACHARI S/O MOHAMAD ALI Location: HIGH AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS, COURT OF WORKING AS GRAM PANCHAYAT SECRETARY KARNATAKA KAPPALGUDDI, RAIBAG TALUK BELAGAVI DISTRICT RESIDING AT G P KAGADAL SAUNDATTI TALUK BELAGAVI DISTRICT - 591 213. 2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT & PANCHAYAT RAJ, M.S.BUILDING BANGALORE - 560 001.

HC-KAR

3. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR & EX-OFFICIO UNDER SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT & PANCHAYAT RAJ, M.S.BUILDING BANGALORE - 560 001.

4. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ZILLA PANCHAYAT D C OFFICE COMPOUND BELAGAVI - 590 001.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. SUDEEP B.K., ADV. FOR SRI G.M. CHANDRASHEKAR, ADV. FOR R1 SRI K.R. RAJENDRA, AGA FOR R2 & R3 NOTICE TO R4 IS D/W)

THIS PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER PASSED BY THE KARNATAKA ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL IN APPLICATION NO.6411/2017 DATED 03.08.2018 (ANNEXURE-C).

IN WP NO. 6051/2019 BETWEEN:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT & PANCHAYAT RAJ, M.S. BUILDING BENGALURU - 560 001.

2. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR & EX-OFFICIO UNDER SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT & PANCHAYAT RAJ, M.S. BUILDING BENGALURU - 560 001.

...PETITIONERS (BY SRI. K.R. RAJENDRA, AGA)

HC-KAR AND:

1. LAL SAB M MUNDENAVAR SON OF MOHAMAD ALI AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS, WORKING AS GRAM PANCHAYAT SECRETARY KAPPALAGUDDI, RAIBAG TALUK BELAGAVI DISTRICT RESIDING AT G.P.KAGADAL SAUNDATTI TALUK, BELAGAVI DISTRICT - 591 213.

2. THE ADDITIONAL REGISTRAR (ENQUIRIES-3)

KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA M.S.BUILDING BENGALURU - 560 001.

3. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ZILLA PANCHAYAT D.C.OFFICE COMPOUND BELAGAVI - 590 001.

...RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. SUDEEP B.K., ADV. FOR SRI CHANDRASHEKAR G. M., ADV. FOR R1 SRI K. PRASANNA SHETTY, ADV. FOR R2 R3 – SERVED & UNREPRESENTED)

THIS PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO CALLS FOR RECORDS; QUASH THE ORDER DATED 03.08.2018 IN APPLICATION NO.6411/2017 [ANNEXURE-A] PASSED BY THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL, BANGALORE AND CONSEQUENTLY DISMISS APPLICATION NO.6411/2017 ON THE FILE OF THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINSITRATIVE TRIBUNAL, BANGALORE. THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND HC-KAR

ORAL ORDER

(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT)

In both the writ petitions, petitioners i.e., the Lokayukta as well as the State Authorities are before this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India questioning the order dated 03.08.2018 in Application No.6411/2017 passed by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal at Bengaluru (for short, ‘the Tribunal’), allowing respondent No.1’s application questioning the order of penalty of compulsory retirement dated 15.12.2016 (Annexure-A7).

2. Brief facts of the case are that, on the allegation of demanding and accepting bribe of Rs.1,000/- from the complainant one Sri.Ningappa Siddappa Nidagundi on 25.08.2006, articles of charge dated 31.08.2012 (Annexure-A1) was issued to respondent No.1. The Enquiry Officer of the petitioner Lokayukta on conducting enquiry submitted his report dated 26.10.2015 HC-KAR holding that the Disciplinary Authority has proved the charge against respondent No.1. The petitioner was issued with second show cause notice dated 16.11.2015 enclosing the enquiry report and the respondent No.1 is said to have submitted h