Serving Armed Forces personnel are entitled to apply for State civil service posts under the Ex-serviceman category during the final year of their service engagement as per the Explanation to Rule 2(1)(i) of the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977, provided they hold a valid NOC.

AND:

1. KARNATAKA POWER TRANSMISSION CORPORATION LIMITED

REP. BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR,

CORPORATE OFFICE, INDHANA BHAVAN,

BANGALORE-560 009.

2. THE DIRECTOR (ADMIN AND HR)

KARNATAKA POWER TRANSMISSION

CORPORATION LIMITED,

CORPORATE OFFICE,

INDHANA BHAVAN,

BANGALORE-560 009.

3. THE MANAGING DIRECTOR,

BESCOM, CORPORATE OFFICE,

K.R.CIRCLE,

BENGALURU- 560 001.

4. THE GENERAL MANAGER (A AND HR)

BESCOM, CORPORATE OFFICE,

K.R. CIRCLE, BENGALURU-560 001.

5. THE PRESIDENT,

JUNIOR POWERMAN

ENDURANCE TESTING CIRCLE COMMITTEE,

BESCOM, BANGALORE NORTH CIRCLE,

BANGALORE-560 102.

6. THE SUPERINTENDENT ENGINEER (E)

OFFICE OF REGIONAL TRANSMISSION,

BENGALURU BLECTRICAL COMPANY,

RAMANAGARA CIRCLE,

NO.285, L.J. ARCADE, JNANABHARATHI LAYOUT,

2ND STAGE, VALAGEREHALLI,

100 FEET DOUBLE ROAD,

KENGERI SUB-DIVISION,

BENGALURU-560 060.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI. A. CHANDRACHUD, ADVOCATE)

THIS W.P IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 277 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO CALL FOR THE ENTIRE RECORDS LEADING TO THE IMPUGNED BEARING NO. AAEM(V) / RAVYA / OOLENI / LE/SALE/SA2/2025-26/9438-39 DATED 05.03.2026 FROM THE RESPONDENTS.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR

ORAL ORDER

In this petition, petitioner seeks the following reliefs:

a) Call for the entire records leading to the impugned bearing No.AaEm(V)/ RaVya / OoLeNi / Le / Sale/ Sa2 / 2025-26 / 9438-39 dated 05.03.2026 from the respondents;

(b) Issue a writ / order in the nature of certiorari by quashing the endorsement bearing Nо.RaVya / OoLeNi / AaEm(V) / Le / Sale / Sa2 / 2025-26 / 9438-39 dated 05.03.2026 passed by the 6th respondent (Annexure-H to the writ petition), in the nature of Certiorari.

(c) Issue a writ / order in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents herein to consider the candidature of the petitioner against the post of Junior Powerman under Ex-servicemen category as in terms of the shortlisted candidates for document verification notified by the 4th respondent (Annexure-E) by issue of a writ in the nature of mandamus and grant all consequential benefits.

(d) Issue any other appropriate writ, order or direction as this Hon’ble Court deems fit to grant, in the interest of justice and equity.

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel for the respondents and perused the material on record.

3. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that the petitioner was appointed on 19.09.2008 and was due to be discharged from service on 10.09.2024. On 14.10.2024, KPTCL issued a Recruitment Notification for various sanctioned posts to which the petitioner applied after obtaining NOC for Civil employment, despite which, the respondents proceeded to issue the impugned endorsement rejecting the application of the petitioner on the ground that he was still in service of Indian Army and cannot be termed as ex-serviceman, aggrieved by which the petitioner is before this Court by way of the present petition.

4. Though several contentions have been urged by both sides in support of their respective claims, the issue in controversy between the parties is directly and squarely covered by the judgment of this Court in the case of Girisha M Vs. Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited and others – W.P.No.10554/2026 dated 09.04.2026, wherein it is held as under:

“In this petition, the petitioner seeks the following reliefs-

"a)QUASH Endorsement bearing no.AaM(V)/BemOoVya/OoLeyNi/Ley/Saley/HeSa(Si)/25-26/6319 dated 24-02-2026 passed by the 5th respondent (ANNEXURE-H to the writ petition) by issue of a writ in the nature of certiorari by issue of a writ in the nature of Certiorari.

(b) DIRECT the responden