IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 8^TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO. 13294 OF 2025 (S-RES)

BETWEEN:

1. SOMAYYA KAMBI, S/O.SHIVALINGAYYA, AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS.

R/A HIREBAGEWADI, BELAGAVI-591109.

KARNATAKA

2. SOMAYYA, S/O. MUDAKAYYA, AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS.

R/A CHIVATAGUNDI, BAILWAD, BAILHONGAL-591102.

KARNATAKA Digitally signed

3. VIKRAM NAIKARHIRE, by JYOTHI MANJUNATH S/O.CHANDRAPPA, Location: High Court of AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, Karnataka R/A BAGEWADIHIRE, BAGEWADI, BELAGAVI-591109.

KARNATAKA

4. JOTIBA KADOLKAR, S/O.MALLAPPA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, R/A AGASAGE, BELAGAVI-591143.

KARNATAKA

5. SHIVANAND D. KENCHANNAVAR, S/O.DUNDAPPA, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS R/A KOCHARI, HUKKERI-591340.

KARNATAKA

6. BASAPPA CHANDARAGI, S/O.RAMAPPA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, R/A NAYANAGAR, BAILHONGAL-591102.

KARNATAKA

7. SAGAR PATIL, S/O.BALIRAM, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, R/A HANDI VILLAGE, YADOGA POST, HALIYAL0581329.-

KARNATAKA …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SHRIDHAR NARAYAN HEGDE., ADVOCATE)

AND:

THE STATE BANK OF INDIA, REPT. BY ASSISTANT GENERAL MANGER (HR), LOCAL HEAD OFFICE, HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, 3RD FLOOR, NEW ANNEXE BUILDING, NO.65, ST. MARK'S ROAD, LHO CAMPUS, BENGALURU-560001.

…RESPONDENT (BY SRI. T P MUTHANNA., ADVOCATE)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED COMMUNICATION / ORDER DATED 14/03/2025 I AND ONE MORE COMMUNICATION LETTER DATED 05/04/2025 ISSUED BY THE RESPONDENT BANK WHICH SI PRODUCED AT ANNX-E TO E6 AND G TO G6., 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 S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR

ORAL ORDER

In this petition, the petitioner has sought for the following reliefs:

“i) Issue a Writ of Certiorari or any other writ or direction quashing the impugned communication / order dated 14.03.2025 1 and one more communication letter dated 05.04.2025 issued by the Respondent Bank which is produced at Annexure-E to E6 and G to G6 ii) Issue a Writ of Mandamus, direction or any other appropriate order directing the Respondent Bank to give order of appointment to the petitioners as Bank Guards in permanent vacancies in the Respondent Bank by conducting the final process of selection of medical examination of the Petitioners by the Respondent Bank; AND iii) Grant such other order or direction as deemed fit just in the Circumstances of the case, in the interest of Justice and equity.”

2. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that in the previous round of litigation in WP No.9909/2023, this Court directed the respondent - State Bank of India to consider the list of the names forwarded by the Department of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement pursuant to its request dated 11.07.2023 in which the names of the petitioners are found and only after it considers the case of the petitioners for recruitment, the SBI was directed to seek for a fresh list of names from respondent No.2 and proceed further in accordance with law.

3. In pursuance of the said order passed by this Court in WP No.9909/2023 dated 12.09.2023, the respondent No.1 - Bank conducted a physical test on 27.12.2023, but did not declare the marks and selected 9 of the 21 petitioners, who were the writ petitioners in the earlier round of litigation. But declined to select the petitioners herein.

4. As a result of which, the petitioner approached this Court in WP No.2816/2024, which was disposed of vide final Order dated 03.02.2025 directing the respondent - Bank to communicate the result of the recruitment in question together with the reasons for non selection, in the event the petitioners are not selected.

5. In pursuance of the aforesaid order passed by this Court in WP.No.2816/2024 dated 03.02.2025, respondent - Bank issued the impugned communication at Annexures E, E1 to E6 followed by the subsequent impugned communication at Annexures G, G1 to G6 intimating the petitioners that their request for appo