IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 14^TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B. MURALIDHARA PAI WRIT PETITION NO.100282 OF 2026 (S-KAT)

BETWEEN:

SRI. H.M. RAVINDRANATH, S/O. LATE H.M. VIRUPAKSHAIAH, AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS, WORKING AS AUDIT OFFICER, OFFICE OF EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, PWD DIVISION, BAGALKOT NOW WAITING FOR POSTING VIDE KSAT ORDER DATED

06-01-2026 IN A.NO.10875/2025, R/O: SECTOR NO.27 PLOT NO.47E, Digitally signed by VISHAL NINGAPPA NAVANAGAR, PATTIHAL Location: High BAGALKOT – 587 103.

Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench, …PETITIONER Dharwad (BY SRI. MALLIKARJUN SHANKARAYYA HIREMATH, ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU – 01.

2. THE CHIEF ENGINEER (C & B), NORTH OPP. D.C. OFFICE, DHARWAD – 01.

3. THE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER, PWD CIRCLE, BELAGAVI, BELAGAVI – 01.

4. THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, PWD DIVISION, BAGALKOT, BAGALKOT DISTRICT – 01.

5. SRI. S.S. KUDAGI, S/O. SHANKRAPPA, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, WORKING AS AUDIT OFFICER, OFFICE OF EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, PWD DIVISION, BAGALKOT, R/O: SECTOR NO.23, PWD QUARTERS, NAVANAGAR, BAGALKOT – 587 103.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. G.K. HIREGOUDAR, PRL. GOVT. ADV. FOR R1-R4 SRI. M.N. WARAD, ADVOCATE FOR C/R5)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND

227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE APPROPRIATE WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION IN THE NATURE OF CERTIORARI TO SET ASIDE/QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER, DATED 06.01.2026 IN 10875/2025, PASSED BY THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL, BELAGAVI BENCH, BELAGAVI, (ANNEXURE-C) AND CONSEQUENTLY DISMISS THE APPLICATION NO.10875/2025 FILED BY THE RESPONDENT NO. 5 AND ETC., THIS WRIT PETITION COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B. MURALIDHARA PAI

ORAL ORDER

(PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN)

Respondent No.5 was working as an Audit Officer in Public Works Department Division of Bagalkote. The petitioner herein was transferred to the said post by virtue of the order 07.08.2025. This was challenged by respondent No.5 before the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (for short, ‘the KAT’) at Belagavi, in Application No.10875/2025. On the ground that no posting was provided to respondent No.5 herein, the application filed by respondent No.5 herein was allowed by the KAT by order dated 06.01.2026, and the following order is passed:

“i) The application is allowed.

ii) The impugned order bearing No .¯ÉÆÃE 258 J¸ï J¸ï PÉ dated 07.08.2025 passed by the 1^st respondent vide Annexure A2 is set-aside.

iii) The respondents are at liberty to transfer the applicant at any time by giving a suitable posting in accordance with law.”

Aggrieved by the same, the present writ petition is filed. 2. The case of the petitioner is that he is an Audit Officer and he has been validly transferred to the Public Works Department Division, Bagalkote. It is contented that respondent No.5 has completed minimum tenure in the said place and he is eligible to be transferred to a different place. It is further submitted that it is the responsibility of the Government to provide a posting for respondent No.5 and, for the mistake of the State, the petitioner should not be left without any posting. It is further submitted that the petitioner has been duly relieved from his earlier post, and the impugned order has the effect of rendering the petitioner without any post. On the said grounds, it is prayed that the writ petition be allowed and the impugned order be set aside.

3. Per contra, counsel for respondent No.5 justifies the order passed by the KAT and prays for dismissal of the writ petition.

4. Learned Principal Government Advocate, upon instructions, submits that, as on today, respondent No.5 has completed the minimum required period as an Audit Officer in the Public Works Department Division of Bagalkote and he is e