Karnataka High Court
Sri Honnesh Gowda B R vs The State Of Karnataka on 7 November, 2025
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NC: 2025:KHC:45182-DB
WA No. 1779 of 2025
HC-KAR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 7TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025
PRESENT
THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE
AND
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA
WRIT APPEAL NO. 1779 OF 2025 (GM-POLICE)
BETWEEN:
1. SRI HONNESH GOWDA B R
S/O. LATE. B J RAJAGOPAL
AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS
SHIVANAGERE
JAKKENAHALLI POST
DODDERI HOBLI
MADHUGIRI TALUK
TUMAKURU DIST - 572 112
...APPELLANT
(BY SRI. AGNIHOTRI KESHAV RANGANATHACHAR,
Digitally ADVOCATE)
signed by
AMBIKA H B
Location: AND:
High Court
of Karnataka 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA
REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY
DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS
VIDHANA SOUDHA
DR.B.R.AMBEDKAR ROAD
BENGALURU - 560 001
2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
TUMAKURU DISTRICT
TUMAKURU - 572 101
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NC: 2025:KHC:45182-DB
WA No. 1779 of 2025
HC-KAR
3. THE TAHSILDAR
MADUGIRI TALUK, MADUGIRI
TUMAKURU DISTRICT - 572 112
4. THE CIRCLE INSPECTOR
BADAVANAHALLI POLICE STATION
BADAVANAHALLI VILLAGE AND POST
TUMAKURU DISTRICT - 572 112
5. SRI HONNESHWARASWAMY
DEVASTHANA JEERNODHARA
SEVA SAMITHI TRUST (R)
SHIVANAGERE VILLAGE
DODDERI HOBLI
MADHUGIRI TALUK
TUMAKURU DISTRICT - 572 112
REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT
MANJUNATH J.
6. SRI GURU.
G.S.RAMACHANDRASWAMY
S/O. LATE GURU SHIVARAMANNA
AGED ABOUT 68 YEARS
R/AT GULUGENAHALLI
KASABA HOBLI, SIRA TALUK
TUMAKURU DISTRICT - 572 137
...RESPONDENTS
(SRI K S HARISH GA FOR RESPONDENTS 1 TO 4)
THIS WRIT APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE
KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO HEAR THE
PARTIES ON MERITS AND PASS A JUDGEMENT TO SET
ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 10/09/2025 PASSED IN WP
NO.25313/2025 PASSED BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE OF
THIS HONBLE COURT AND ETC.
THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR FINAL HEARING, THIS
DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:
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NC: 2025:KHC:45182-DB
WA No. 1779 of 2025
HC-KAR
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE
and
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA
ORAL JUDGMENT
(PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE)
1. The appellant has filed the present appeal impugning an order dated 10.09.2025 passed by the learned Single Judge in Writ Petition No.25313/2025 (GM-POLICE). Respondent Nos.5 and 6 had filed the said petition impugning a Police Notice dated 13.07.2024 issued by respondent No.4. The said notice reads as under:
"It is hereby informed to you that Sri. Honnesh Gowda B R, S/o. Late. Rajagopal, R/o. Shivanagere, filed a W.P. No. 18124/2023 before the Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka, Bengaluru regarding the subject of animal sacrifice in Sri Honneshwaraswamy Temple and the Hon'ble Court after a detailed enquiry has passed the following Order in respect of the Temple.
The Hon'ble Court has Ordered that proper steps shall be taken to see that any type of animal sacrifice and non-veg consumption does not take place in and around 200 mts of Sri Honneshwaraswamy Temple. So, the Order passed by the Hon'ble Court shall be compulsorily obeyed. In case there is any violation of the High Court Order, suitable action shall be initiated against you. A Copy of the Order passed by the Hon'ble High Court is enclosed herewith."-4-
NC: 2025:KHC:45182-DB WA No. 1779 of 2025 HC-KAR
2. Concededly, the said notice is ex facie erroneous as this Court had not issued any directions to prohibit animal sacrifice or consumption of non-vegetarian food items within 200 meters of the temple in question. Writ Petition No.18124/2023, which was preferred by the appellant was disposed of by the learned Single Judge by an order dated 05.06.2024 directing the concerned authorities to take necessary steps/actions pursuant to the representations dated 27.06.2023 in accordance with law within a period of six weeks from that date. Thus, the concerned authorities were required to examine the representations made by the appellant and take an informed decision. However, the Police Notice dated 13.07.2024 (which is impugned in Writ Petition No.25313/2025) has been issued citing specific prohibitory directions issued by this Court, which were never issued.
3. Insofar as sacrifices of animals are concerned, it is contended on behalf of the State that all sacrifices are prohibited under the Karnataka Prevention of Animal Sacrifices Act, 1959. However, insofar as the consumption of non-vegetarian items within 200 metres of the temple in question is concerned, the learned Single Judge had noted that the said issue was not -5- NC: 2025:KHC:45182-DB WA No. 1779 of 2025 HC-KAR covered by the Karnataka Prevention of Animal Sacrifices Act, 1959 or the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Accordingly, the learned Single Judge had observed that if any restriction is to be imposed, the same is required to be based on local practices.
4. It was also contented on behalf of the State that the impugned notice (as set out above) would be withdrawn. Accordingly, the learned Single Judge had taken the said submission on record and disposed of the writ petition.
5. The appellant is aggrieved as his application for being impleaded in the writ petition was not considered. The appellant claims that it is at his instance that the impugned notice was issued as he was the writ petitioner in WP No.18124/2023, which was disposed of by an order dated 05.06.2024 directing the concerned authorities to consider his representations. He submits that he had produced several documents on record which would have been relevant for adjudication of the writ petition.
6. It is not necessary to examine the appellant's claims as the petition has been disposed of for the reason that the impugned -6- NC: 2025:KHC:45182-DB WA No. 1779 of 2025 HC-KAR notice was erroneous. We find no infirmity with the impugned order. It is ex facie clear that the police notice which was impugned in the writ petition was erroneous for the reasons as it directed compliance of certain directions which were not issued by this Court. We also note that the learned Single Judge has not made any observations to the prejudice of the appellant or his case. On the contrary, the Court had directed that the concerned authorities should take an informed decision.
7. In view of the above, the present appeal is dismissed.
Sd/-
(VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/-
(C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE AHB List No.: 1 Sl No.: 16