IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 24^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.T. NARENDRA PRASAD WRIT PETITION NO. 39796 OF 2025 (S-R)

BETWEEN:

T. NARAYANASWAMY S/O LATE THAMMANNA AGED 69 YEARS JUDICIAL MEMBER (RETD.)

KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL PRESENTLY R/AT NO. 22, 3^RD CROSS DHANALAKSHMI LAYOUT VIRUPAKSHAPURA, BENGALURU-560097.

…PETITIONER (BY SRI. NARAYANA BHAT M., ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. UNION OF INDIA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL Digitally signed by MALATHI PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS CHALUVA IYENGAR DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL & TRAINING (DOPT)

Location: HIGH NEW DELHI - 110001.

COURTOF KARNATAKA

2. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU-560001.

3. THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL REP. BY ITS REGISTRAR KANDAYA BHAVAN BENGALURU - 560009.

4. THE PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT GENERAL (A & E)

KARNATAKA, PARK HOUSE ROAD BENGALURU-560001.

5. SENIOR ACCOUNTS OFFICER OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT GENERAL (A & E) KARNATAKA PARK HOUSE ROAD, BENGALURU - 560001 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. S.RAJASHEKAR, ADVOCATE FOR R1 SRI. SPOORTHY HEGDE N, HCGP FOR R2:

SRI. RAGHAVENDRA G GAYATHRI, ADVOCATE FOR R3:

SRI. N AMARESH, SENIOR CGC FOR R4 & R5)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI QUASHING THE PORTION OF THE PPO ORDER BEARING NO 10557-JUDICIAL DATED 12.02.2025 ISSUED BY THE 5TH RESPONDENT PRODUCED AT ANNEXURE-C TO THE EXTENT OF NON CONSIDERATION OF 15 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS SERVICE AND CONSIDERING ONLY 5 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS OF SERVICE BY IGNORING ADDITIONAL 10 YEARS OF SERVICE AT BAR AS VIOLATIVE OF ARTICLE 14,16 AND 21 OF THE CONSTITUTION AND ETC.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.T. NARENDRA PRASAD

ORAL ORDER

This writ petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking the following reliefs:

a) Issue a writ of certiorari quashing the portion of the PPO order Bearing No 10557- Judicial dated 12.02.2025 issued by the 5th Respondent produced at Annexure-C to the extent of non consideration of 15 years and 4 months service and considering only 5 years and 4 months of service by ignoring additional 10 years of service at Bar as violative of Article

14,16 and 21 of the Constitution.

b) Issue a writ of mandamus directing the Respondents to:

(i) Add 10 years of Bar practice under Section 14-A of the High Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1954 to the Petitioner's qualifying service;

(ii) Re-fix the pension based on 15 years 4 months of qualifying service;

(iii) Recalculate and pay revised DCRG accordingly;

(iv) Consider and sanction pension commutation as per law by addition of 15 years

4 months of qualifying service;

(v) Pay all arrears arising from revision of pension, DCRG, and commutation together with interest at admissible rates.

(vi) Pay interest on all arrears arising from revision of pension, DCRG, and commutation together with interest at admissible rates at 15% per annum to meet the ends of Justice. c) Issue a writ of mandamus, any other appropriate writ, order or direction holding that the Petitioner is entitled to pensionary benefits on par with Judges appointed under Article 217(2) of the Constitution to meet the ends of justice.

d) Award Costs of this Writ Petition and Pass any other order as deemed fit in the interests of justice and equity.

2. The case of the petitioner is that he is a retired Judicial Member of the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal. He was appointed to the said post under the Advocates’ quota, having been directly recruited from the Bar, and retired on attaining the age of superannuation on 18.10.2024, after rendering five years of service, four months and four days as a Judicial Member. Though he retired on 18.10.2024, his pension and terminal benefits have not been settled ti