Karnataka High Court
Varalakshmamma vs The Deputy Commissioner on 26 July, 2024
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WP NO.9736 OF 2021
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 26TH DAY OF JULY, 2024
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE E.S. INDIRESH
WRIT PETITION NO.9736 OF 2021 (KLR-RES)
BETWEEN:
1. VARALAKSHMAMMA
SINCE DECEASED BY LR'S.
PETITIONERS 2 TO 5 ARE LR'S OF
DECEASED PETITIONER NO.1.
2. SRI. AMBARISH
S/O LATE H.N. VENKATESH REDDY
AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS.
3. SRI. RAJANNA
S/O LATE H.N. VENKATESH REDDY
AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS.
4. SMT. JYOTHI
D/O LATE H.N. VENKATESH REDDY
AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS.
Digitally signed by
SHARMA ANAND
CHAYA 5. SRI. K.V. GURUMURTHY
Location: High Court
of Karnataka S/O LATE H.N. VENKATESH REDDY
AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS.
PETITIONERS 2 TO 5 ARE
R/O NO.121, 1ST CROSS,
KUNDALAHALLI,
DODDANEKKUNDI,
BENGALURU - 560 037.
...PETITIONERS
(BY SRI. SEENAPPA K., ADVOCATE)
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AND:
1. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
BENGALURU URBAN DISTRICT,
D.C. OFFICE,
K.G. ROAD,
BENGALURU - 560 009.
2. THE ASSISTANT COMMISISOENR
BENGALURU NORTH SUB-DIVISION,
KANDAYA BHAVAN,
K.G. ROAD,
BENGALURU - 560 009.
3. THE SPECIAL TAHSILDAR
BANGALURU EAST TALUK,
DIESEL SHED ROAD,
KRISHNARAJAPURAM,
BANGALURU - 560 036.
4. SMT. A. VANI
W/O DR. B.V. DEVARS
AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS,
R/AT NO.3777, 13TH CROSS,
BANASHANKARI II STAGE,
BANGALURU - 560 070.
5. SMT. MANJULA
W/O C.S. SHANKAR
AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS,
R/AT NO.115/3, ITC MAIN ROAD,
KUNDALAHALLI,
BANGALURU - 560 037.
6. SMT. A. RANJITHA
W/O A.M. GOPALAKRISHNA REDDY
AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS,
R/AT NO.115/3, ITC MAIN ROAD,
KUNDALAHALLI,
BENGALURU - 560 037.
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7. SRI GIRISH @ GIRISH ANAND
S/O LATE H.N. ANANDARAMA REDDY
AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS,
R/AT NO.14, ORCHID WOODS,
RYAN SCHOOL ROAD,
BROOKE FIELDS BACKSIDE,
KUNDALAHALLI,
BENGALURU - 560 037.
8. SRI. ASHWATH
S/O LATE H.N. KESHAVA REDDY
AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS.
9. SMT. PAVITHRA
D/O LATE H.N. KESHAVA REDDY
W/O RAMESH,
AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS.
RESPONDENTS 8 AND 9 ARE
R/AT NO.102, 1ST 'A' CROSS,
BEHIND INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK,
BEHIND BHADRA APARTMENTS,
KUNDALAHALLI,
BENGALURU - 560 037.
...RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI. HARISHA A.S., AGA FOR R1 TO R3;
SRI. M. ADINARAYANA, ADVOCATE FOR R4 AND R5;
SRI. N.R. NAGARAJA, ADVOCATE C/R6;
SRI. M.H. SAWKAR, ADVOCATE FOR R7;
SRI. S.P. RAMESH, ADVOCATE FOR R8 AND R9)
THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226
AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO
QUASH THE ORDER PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.1 IN
REVISION PETITION NO.107/2018 DATED 18TH FEBRUARY,
2020 VIDE ANNEXURE-L; QUASH THE ORDER DATED 30TH
OCTOBER, 2012, PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.2 IN R.A.
NO.181/2001-02 VIDE ANNEXURE-J; DIRECT THE
RESPONDENT NO.3 TO MUTATE THE NAME OF THE
PETITIONERS INSOFAR AS LAND BEARING SURVEY NO.115/3
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WP NO.9736 OF 2021
MEASURING TO AN EXTENT OF 13.08 GUNTAS IS CONCERNED,
IN PURSUANCE OF THE ORDERS PASSED IN R.F.A.
NO.106/1977 VIDE ANNEXURE-B; 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 E.S. INDIRESH
ORAL ORDER
In this writ petition, petitioners are assailing order dated 18th February, 2020 (Annexure-L) passed by the respondent No.1 in Revision Petition No.107/2018 and order dated 30th October, 2012 (Annexure-J) passed by the respondent No.2 in R.A. No.181/2001-02; inter alia sought for a direction to the respondent No.3 to mutate the name of the petitioners in respect of land in question in terms of the judgment and decree passed by this Court in Regular First Appeal No.106 of 1977 (Annexure-B).
2. The relevant facts for adjudication of this writ petition are that the land bearing Survey No.115/3 measuring to an extent of 1 acre 19 guntas situate at Kundalahalli Village, K.R. Puram Hobli, Bengaluru East Taluk is a joint family property of G. Narayana Reddy and the said property is subject matter in the suit filed by Raghurama Reddy in Original Suit No.103 of 1975 on the file of the Principal Civil Judge, Bengaluru District, -5- NC: 2024:KHC:29608 WP NO.9736 OF 2021 Bengaluru (for short, hereinafter referred to as 'Trial Court'). The Trial Court, by judgment and decree dated 24th August, 1977 (Annexure-A), decreed the suit and same is challenged by the defendants before this Court in Regular First Appeal No.106 of 1977. This Court, disposed of the appeal on 08th June, 1982 (Annexure-B) in terms of Compromise entered into between the parties. Pursuant to the compromise decree passed by this Court in Regular First Appeal No.106 of 1977, petitioners herein have made an application to the respondent No.3 to change the mutation in favour of the petitioners and same was accepted by the respondent No.3 as per order dated 25th January, 2002 (Annexure-H) in RRT:Dispute:29/2001-02. The said order passed by the respondent No.3 was questioned by the respondents 4 to 6 herein before the respondent No.2 in R.A. No.181/2001-02 and the respondent No.2, by order dated 30th October, 2012 (Annexure-J), set-aside the order dated 25th January, 2002 passed by the respondent No.3. Thereafter, the said order dated 30th October, 2012 passed by the respondent No.2 was questioned by the respondents 8 and 9 before the respondent No.1 in Revision Petition No.107/2018 and the respondent No.1-Deputy Commissioner, by order dated 18th -6- NC: 2024:KHC:29608 WP NO.9736 OF 2021 February, 2020 (Annexure-L), dismissed the Revision Petition and as such, upheld the order dated 30th October, 2012 passed by the respondent No.2-Assistant Commissioner in R.A. No.181/2001-02. Being aggrieved by the same, the petitioners have presented this writ petition.
3. Heard Sri. Seenappa K., learned counsel appearing for petitioners; Sri. Harisha A.S., learned Additional Government Advocate appearing for respondents 1 to 3; Sri. M. Adinarayana, learned counsel appearing for respondents 4 and 5; Sri. N.R. Nagaraja, learned counsel appearing for respondent No.6; Sri. M.H. Sawkar, learned counsel appearing for the respondent No.7; and Sri. S.P. Ramesh, learned counsel appearing for respondents 8 and 9.
4. Sri. Seenappa, learned counsel appearing for petitioners submitted that the dispute with regard to the subject land bearing Survey No.115/3 to an extent of 1 acre 31 guntas situate at Kundalahalli Village, Bengaluru East Taluk was the subject matter in Original Suit No.103 of 1975. He contended that, the Trial Court, decreed the suit, by judgment and decree dated 24th August, 1977 (Annexure-A) and same -7- NC: 2024:KHC:29608 WP NO.9736 OF 2021 was questioned before this Court in Regular First Appeal No.106 of 1977, whereby, the parties to the appeal have compromised the dispute and accordingly, the compromise decree was passed by this Court on 08th June, 1982 (Annexure-C). Accordingly, he submitted that the respondents 2 and 3 ought to have implemented the judgment and decree passed by this Court in Regular First Appeal No.106 of 1977. Hence, he sought for interference of this Court.
5. Per contra, Sri. M.H. Sawkar, learned counsel appearing for the respondent No.7 sought to justify the order passed by respondent No.2 dated 30th October, 2012 (Annexure-J) and order passed by the respondent No.1 dated 18th February, 2020 (Annexure-L) and submitted that the entries have been made by the respondents-Authorities with regard to the settled position of the parties in the subject property. Accordingly, he submitted that the finding recorded by the respondents 1 and 2 is just and proper, which does not call for interference of this Court.
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6. Sri. Harisha A.S., learned Additional Government Advocate sought to justify the impugned orders passed by learned counsel appearing for respondents 1 and 2.
7. Having heard the learned counsel appearing for the parties, on careful examination of the finding recorded by the respondents 1 and 2 in the impugned orders, the same would indicate that the subject matter of land bearing Survey No.115/3 of Kundalahalli Village, Bengaluru East Taluk, was the subject matter before the Trial Court in Original Suit No.103 of 1975 and same came to be decreed on 24th August, 1977 (Annexure-A). The judgment and decree dated 24th August, 1977 (Annexure-A) was questioned before this Court in Regular First Appeal No.106 of 1977, and in the appeal before this Court, parties have compromised the dispute and accordingly, compromise decree came to be passed by this Court on 08th June, 1982 (Annexure-C). In the backdrop of these aspects, on perusal of the finding recorded by the respondents 1 and 2 in the impugned orders, nothing has been considered by the respondents 1 and 2 with regard to compromise decree entered into between the parties in Regular First Appeal No.106 of 1977 and solely changed the Khata by relying upon the judgment -9- NC: 2024:KHC:29608 WP NO.9736 OF 2021 and decree passed by the Trial Court in Original Suit No.103 of 1975. This would makes it clear that, the respondents 1 and 2 have not considered the fact that the judgment and decree passed by the Trial Court in Original Suit No.103 of 1975 has been merged with the judgment and decree passed by this Court in Regular First Appeal No.106 of 1977. In that view of the matter, I find force in the submission made by learned counsel appearing for the parties. Accordingly, I pass the following:
ORDER
1) Writ Petition is allowed;
2) Order dated 18th February, 2020 (Annexure-L) passed by the respondent No.1 in Revision Petition No.107/2018 and order dated 30th October, 2012 (Annexure-J) passed by the respondent No.2 in R.A. No.181/2001-02 are hereby set-aside and matter is remanded to the respondent No.2-Assistant Commissioner to consider the case of the parties on merits and pass appropriate order in accordance with law, in the light of judgment and decree dated 08th June, 1982 passed by this Court in Regular First Appeal No.106 of 1977.
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3) In order to avoid further delay in the matter, as the parties are represented through their learned counsels, parties are directed to appear before the respondent No.2 on 20th August, 2024 at 03.00 p.m. to enable the respondent No.2 to take decision in the matter at the earliest.
SD/-
(E.S.INDIRESH) JUDGE ARK