Karnataka High Court
Tanuja A Bhandari vs The Director on 26 November, 2025
Author: M.Nagaprasanna
Bench: M.Nagaprasanna
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NC: 2025:KHC-D:16427
WP No. 104311 of 2025
HC-KAR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD
DATED THIS THE 26TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA
WRIT PETITION NO. 104311 OF 2025 (S-REG)
BETWEEN:
1. TANUJA A. BHANDARI
W/O. SUBHAS BHAT,
AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS,
SECODN DIVISION ASSISTANT,
TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
KUMTA-581343
UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT.
2. LAXMINARAYANA K. HEGDE
S/O. KRISHNA L. HEGDE
AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS,
TAX BILL COLLECTOR,
TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
KUMTA-581343
UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT.
3. RAMA M. NAIK
S/O. MADHAV NAIK,
Digitally signed by AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS,
RAKESH S
HARIHAR TAX SECTION BILL COLLECTOR,
Location: High
Court of Karnataka, TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
Dharwad Bench,
Dharwad KUMTA -581343
UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT.
4. FRANCIS MANTU FERNADIS
S/O. MANTU FERNANDIS,
AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS,
WATER SUPPLY VALVEMAN,
TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
KUMTA - 581343
UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT.
5. NAGARAJ J. NAIK
S/O. JATTAPPA NAIK,
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AGED ABOUT 42YEARS,
WATER UPPLY PUMP OPERATOR,
TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
KUMTA - 581343
UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT.
6. SHAKUNTALA G. DESHBHANDARI,
W/O. CHANDRAKANT BHANDARI,
AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS,
SECOND DIVISION ASSISTANT,
TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
KUMTA - 581343
UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT.
7. SANTOSH T. NAIK
S/O. THIMMAPPA NAIK,
AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS,
SECOND DIVISION ASSISTANT
(BUILDING PERMISSION CASE WORKER)
TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
KUMTA - 581343
UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT.
8. MANJUNATH S. NAIK
S/O. SURESH V. NAIK
AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS,
TAX SECTION BILL COLLECTOR,
TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
KUMTA - 581343
UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT.
9. PRAKASH H. GAWADI
S/O. HERAMBA GAWADI
AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS,
WATER SUPPLU VALVEMAN
TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
KUMTA - 581343
UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT.
10. SANTOSH P. NAIK
S/O. PANDURANGA NAIK,
AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS,
WATER SUPPLY PUMP OPERATOR,
TOWN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
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WP No. 104311 of 2025
HC-KAR
KUMTA - 581343
UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT.
...PETITIONERS
(BY SRI. MURALIDHAR K B, ADVOCATE)
AND:
1. THE DIRECTOR
MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
9TH FLOOR, ISHVESHWARAIAH TOWERS,
BENGALURU 560001.
2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
UTTAR KANNADA DIST. 581301
...RESPONDENTS
(BY SMT. GIRIJA S. HIREMATH, HCGP)
THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227
OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO,
I) ISSUE WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO
CONSIDER THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PETITIONERS
DATED 23.05.2024 AND 03.02.2025 (ANNEXURE-H AND J)
FOR REGULARIZATION OF THEIR SERVICES WITH EFFECT
FROM THE DATE OF COMPLETION OF 10 YEARS OF DAILY
WAGE SERVICE, WITH ALL CONSEQUENTIAL SERVICE AND
FINANCIAL BENEFITS AS DONE IN THE CASE OF SIMILARLY
SITUATED 330 DAILY WAGE GROUP-D EMPLOYEES VIDE
ORDER BEARING NO.JI.NA.KO/SIBBANDI/
BEM.NAGARA/CR/80/2021-22 DATED 16.04.2022 PASSED BY
THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, BENGALURU URBAN DISTRICT
(ANNEXURE-D) AND ETC.
II) PASS SUCH OTHER ORDER/ORDERS AS THIS HON BLE COURT
DEEMS FIT AND JUST IN THE MATTER IN THE INTEREST OF
JUSTICE AND EQUITY IN THE EYE OF LAW.
THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN B
GROUP, THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:
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ORAL ORDER
(PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA)
The petitioners are before this Court seeking the following
prayer.
"i) Issue WRIT OF MANDAMUS directing the
Respondents to consider the Representations of the
Petitioners dated 23.05.2024 and 03.02.2025
(ANNEXURE-H AND J) for regularization of their
services with effect from the date of completion of
10 years of daily wage service, with all
consequential service and financial benefits as done
in the case of similarly situated 330 daily wage
Group-D employees vide order bearing
No.Ji.Na.Ko/Sibbandi/Bem.Nagara/ CR/80/2021-22
dated 16.04.2022 passed by the Deputy
Commissioner, Bengaluru Urban District
(ANNEXURE-D), and as done in the case of
similarly situated 70 daily wage Group-C employees
vide order bearing No.25260 DMA 26 DWE/2018-19
dated 20.05.2023 passed by the 2nd Respondent
(ANNEXURE-E) and as done vide Government
Order bearing No.Na.Aa.E 33 BBM 2023 (E) dated
18.12.2023 passed by the 1st Respondent
(ANNEXURE-F) and as done in the case of
similarly situated 15 daily wage Group-D employees
vide order bearing No.Chaa.Ji.Na.Ko/
Sibbandi/CR/426/2018-19 dated 07.02.2024
passed by the Deputy Commissioner,
Chamarajanagara District (ANNEXURE-G) on the
ground of parity and in the light of the judgment of
the Hon'ble Supreme Court rendered in the case of
SHRIPAL AND ANOTHER (ANNEXURE-K) in the
interest of justice and equity.
ii) Pass such other Order/orders as this Hon'ble Court
deems fit and just in the matter in the interest of
justice and equity in the eye of law."
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2. Heard the learned counsel Sri. Muralidhar K.B. and
the learned HCGP for the respondents.
3. The petitioners are said to have been appointed
between the years 1998 to 2001 as Group 'C' or 'D' employees in
Town Municipal Council, Kumta, Uttara Kannada. It is the claim
of the petitioners that they have been working for the last 23 to
27 years and are entitled to be considered for regularisation of
their services. The representations having gone unheeded, the
petitioners are before this Court in the subject petition, quoting
several illustrations of either the pourakarmikas of the BBMP or
other departments to buttress the submission with regard to the
claim or entitlement for regularisation.
4. The learned HCGP submits that if reasonable time is
granted, the representations of these petitioners would merit
consideration in accordance with law and appropriate orders
would be passed thereon.
5. In the light of the said submission without going into
the merit of the claim of these petitioners, I deem it appropriate
to dispose of the subject petition with a direction to the
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respondent - State to consider the cases of these petitioners
strictly in consonance with law bearing in mind the law declared
by the Apex Court as followed by this Court from time to time
qua the cases of regularisation and pass necessary orders
thereon in accordance with law within a period of 12 weeks from
the date of receipt of copy of this order.
Sd/-
(M.NAGAPRASANNA)
JUDGE
Rsh / CT:ANB
