IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 18^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE E.S.INDIRESH WRIT PETITION NO.2818 OF 2026 (CS-RES)

BETWEEN:

1. SRI. GOVINDEGOWDA S/O DODDAGIRIGODA AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS R/AT JAYAPURA HOBLI GOPALPURA POST MYSURU TALUK MYSURU - 570008. 2. SRI. ESHWARA S/O CHIKKANNEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS R/AT JAYAPURA HOBLI GOPALPURA POST MYSURU TALUK Digitally signed by MYSURU - 570008.

CHAYA S A Location: H IGH COURT OF KARNATAKA 3. SRI. BHAIREGOWDA S/O NINGEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS NO.24, JAYAPURA HOBLI GOPALPURA POST MYSURU TALUK MYSURU-570008.

4. SRI. MADEGOWDA S/O LATE KALEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 63 YEARS JAYAPURA HOBLI GOPALPURA POST MYSURU TALUK MYSURU-570008.

5. SRI. RAVIRAJU S/O SIDDEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS NO.425, JAYAPURA HOBLI GOPALPURA POST MYSURU TALUK MYSURU-570008.

6. SRI. VISHWANATHA G.M.

S/O CHIKKANNEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS NO. 432, JAYAPURA HOBLI GOPALPURA POST MYSURU TALUK MYSURU-570008.

7. SMT. CHANDRAMMA W/O SHIVANNAGOWDA AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS R/AT JAYAPURA HOBLI GOPALPURA POST MYSURU TALUK MYSURU-570008.

8. SMT. SUMATHI W/O SWAMIGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS R/AT NO. 581, JAYAPURA HOBLI GOPALPURA POST MYSURU TALUK MYSURU-570008.

9. SRI. SANNASWAMY S/O BORAIAH AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS JAYAPURA HOBLI, GOPALPURA POST MYSURU TALUK MYSURU-570008.

…PETITIONERS (BY SRI. PATIL SUMANTH KUMAR S., ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATION AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU-560001 REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPLE SECRETARY.

2. ASSISTANT REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES MYSURU SUB-DIVISION MYSURU TALUK, MYSURU DISTRICT-570001.

3. GOPALPURA MILK PRODUCERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES LTD, GOPALPURA VILLAGE JAYAPURA HOBLI MYSURU TALUK MYSURU-570001 REPRESENTED BY ITS CEO REGISTERED UNDER KARNATAKA CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES ACT, 1959.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. YOGESH D. NAIK, AGA FOR R2;

R3 SERVED;

SRI. B.N. MAHESH CHANDRA, ADVOCATE FOR SRI. MANIKANTA H.B., ADVOCATE FOR R4)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASHING THE ENQUIRY NOTICE DATED 20/01/2026 IN DISPUTE NO.SANI41/DISPUTE/29C/14/2025-26,DISPUTE NO. SANI41/DISPUTE/29C/13/2025-26, DISPUTE NO.SANI41/ DISPUTE/29C/11/2025-26, DISPUTE NO.SANI41/DISPUTE/ 29C/16/2025-26,DISPUTE NO.SANI41/DISPUTE/29C/18/2025- 26, DISPUTE NO.SANI41/DISPUTE/29C/21/2025-26, DISPUTE NO.SANI41/DISPUTE/29C/12/2025-26, DISPUTE NO.SANI41/ DISPUTE/29C/20/2025-26, DISPUTE NO.SANI41/DISPUTE /29C/19/2025-26 PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.2 IS PRODUCED AS VIDE ANNEXURE-H TO H8, AND ALL FURTHER PROCEEDINGS IN PURSUANT THEREOF.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE E.S.INDIRESH

ORAL ORDER

In this writ petition, the petitioners are assailing the Enquiry Notices dated 20.01.2026 produced at Annexures–H to H8 issued by respondent No. 2, on the ground that respondent No. 2 has no jurisdiction under the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959 (for short, hereinafter referred to as 'Act') to issue the impugned notices, and therefore, seeks interference of this Court.

2. Heard Sri. Jayakumar S. Patil, learned Senior Counsel appearing on behalf of learned counsel Sri. Sumanth Kumar S., for the petitioners; Sri. Yogesh D. Naik, learned Additional Government Advocate appearing for the respondent Nos. 1 and 2 and Sri. B.N. Mahesh Chandra, learned counsel appearing on behalf of learned counsel Sri. Manikantha H.B., for the respondent No.4.

3. Sri. Jayakumar S. Patil, learned Senior Counsel for the petitioners invited the attention of the Court to the reasons assigned by the respondent No. 2 in the impugned notices and submitted that respondent No. 2 has issued notices with regard to the action taken by the members of the Committee of Management in respect of the service conditions of one Basavaraju. In this regard, it is submitted that the said Basavaraju has filed W.P. No. 27774 of 2025 before this Court challenging his removal from the servic