IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 16^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S. KINAGI WRIT PETITION NO. 100552 OF 2026 (CS-EL/M)

BETWEEN:

1. SHRI ARAVINDAPPA S/O GULAPPA GUDI AGED 70 YEARS, OCC AGRICULTURE, RESIDING AT SORATUR VILLAGE, SHIRHATTI, GADAG 582120

2. SHRI. RAJESAB S/O FAKKIRSAB BABUKHANNAVAR AGED. 60 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, RESIDING AT SORATUR VILLAGE, SHIRHATTI, GADAG 582120.

3. SHRI. CHANDRAPPA S/O RAMAPPA MALLADAV, AGED. 58 YEARS, Digitally signed by OCC. AGRICULTURE, VIJAYALAKSHMI M KANKUPPI RESIDING AT SORATUR VILLAGE, Location: HIGH SHIRHATTI, GADAG 582120.

COURT OF KARNATAKA

4. SHRI. MAHADEVAPPA S/O SHIVAPPA ADRAKATTI, AGED. 55 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, RESIDING AT SORATUR VILLAGE, SHIRHATTI, GADAG 582120.

5. SHRI. KARIYAPPA S/O HUCCHAPPA JANGWAD, AGE. 58 YEARS, OCC. AGRICULTURE, RESIDING AT SORATUR, SHIRHATTI, GADAG 582120 …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SURAJ S MUTNAL, ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATION, 6^TH FLOOR, M S BUILDING, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560001

2. THE STATE CO-OPERATIVE ELECTION COMMISSION, REP BY ITS COMMISSIONER, 3^RD FLOOR, SHANTI NAGAR, TTMC, ”A” BLOCK, BENGALURU- 560 027. 3. THE DISTRICT CO-OPERATIVE ELECTION OFFICER AND DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, GADAG, DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, 2^ND FLOOR, HUBLI ROAD, GADAG-582101.

4. THE RETURNING OFFICER, PRATHAMIKA KRUSHI PATTINA SAHAKARI SANGHA NIYAMIT, SORATUR, DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, 2^ND FLOOR, HUBLI ROAD, GADAG-582101.

5. THE ASSISTANT REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY, DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, 2^ND FLOOR, HUBLI ROAD, GADAG -582101.

6. PRATHAMIKA KRUSHI PATTINA SAHAKARI SANGHA NIYAMIT, SORATUR, DIST. GADAG, ADDRESS: AT POST SORATUR, DIST. GADAG- 582 120.

REP BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. GANGADHAR J.M, AAG FOR SMT. KIRTILATA R. PATIL, HCGP FOR R1 TO R5, SRI. R.H. ANGADI, ADV FOR R6)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 & 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO ALLOW THE WRIT PETITION AND ISSUE WRIT IN NATURE OF CERTIORARI OR ANY OTHER WRIT, AND FURTHER BE PLEASED TO A. QUASH THE ENDORSEMENT/ ORDER DATED 06.01.2026, BEARING NO.¸À.¸ÀA.¤Ã/UÀ/ZÀÄ.¢/¹Dgï-2025-26 PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO. 4 WHICH IS PRODUCED AS ANNEXURE-G B. QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 16.01.2026, BEARING NO. ¹M 2 ¹J(cid:20)ïJªÀiï 2026 (E), PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.1, WHICH IS PRODUCED AS ANNEXURE - J.

C. ISSUE WRIT OF MANDAMUS OR APPROPRIATE DIRECTIONS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT NOS.2 TO 4 TO CONDUCT THE ELECTIONS AS PER ORDER DATED 29.09.2025 NO.

rDgï/frf/ZÀÄ£ÁªÀuÉ/jD£ÉÃ-DªÀÄA/¹Dgï-86/2025-26/499 ANNEXURE-A.

GRANT SUCH OTHER ORDER OR RELIEFS AS DEEMED FIT AND PROPER IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’

GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

ORAL ORDER

(PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S. KINAGI)

1. The petitioner filed this writ petition seeking the following reliefs:

A. Quash the endorsement/ order dated 06.01.2026, Bearing No.¸À.¸ÀA.¤Ã/UÀ/ZÀÄ.¢/¹Dgï-2025-26 passed by the respondent No. 4 which is produced as Annexure-G.

B. Quash the impugned order dated 16.01.2026, bearing No. ¹M 2 ¹J(cid:20)ïJªÀiï 2026 (E), passed by the respondent No.1, which is produced as Annexure - J.

C. Issue writ of mandamus or appropriate directions directing the respondent Nos.2 to 4 to conduct the elections as per order dated 29.09.2025 No. rDgï/frf/

ZÀÄ£ÁªÀuÉ/jD£ÉÃ-DªÀÄA/¹Dgï-86/2025-26/499 Annexure-A.

2. Brief facts leading rise to the filing of this writ petition are as follows:

3. The petitioners are the members of respondent No.6-

Society. On 04.07.2025 respondent has passed an order for conducting elections to the respondent- Society, where the tenure of the elected members has been completed in accordance with the Karnataka Co- operative Societies Act, 1959 (‘Act of 1959’ for short) and the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Rules, 1960 (‘Rules of 1960’ for short) for the appointment