Karnataka High Court
Rakesh R Kulkarni vs Amlan Aditya Biswas on 21 January, 2026
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NC: 2026:KHC-K:384-DB
CCC No. 200245 of 2025
HC-KAR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
KALABURAGI BENCH
DATED THIS THE 21ST DAY OF JANUARY, 2026
PRESENT
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R.NATARAJ
AND
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TYAGARAJA N. INAVALLY
CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO.200245 OF 2025
BETWEEN:
SRI RAKESH R.KULKARNI
S/O LATE RAGHAVENDRA KULKARNI,
AGE: 36 YEARS,
W/AS WATCHMAN GROUP-D
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT,
SUB DIVISION, LINGASUGUR,
R/O: H.NO.12-907/114/3
PLOT NO.03,VEERESH NAGAR,
NEAR GIMS, KALABURAGI - 585 105.
...COMPLAINANT
(BY SMT. BHAGYASHREE R.K., ADVOCATE)
Digitally signed
by SACHIN
Location: HIGH AND:
COURT OF
KARNATAKA
1. SRI AMLAN ADITYA BISWAS (IAS ),
THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY,
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT,
VIKASA SOUDHA, BENGALURU - 560 001.
2. SRI C. MANJAPPA
THE CHIEF ENGINEER,
PWD CONSTRACTION AND BUILDINGS (SOUTH),
K.R. CIRCLE, BENGALURU - 560 001.
...ACCUSED / RESPONDENTS
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NC: 2026:KHC-K:384-DB
CCC No. 200245 of 2025
HC-KAR
3. THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY,
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT,
VIKASA SOUDHA,
BENGALURU - 560 001.
...PROFORMA PARTY
(BY SRI Y.H.VIJAYAKUMAR, A.A.G. A/W.
SRI VIRANAGOUDA M.BIRADAR, A.G.A. FOR R2 AND R3;
V/O DATED 12.09.2025 NOTICE TO R1 IS DISPENSED WITH)
THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE
CONTEMPT OF COURT ACT, R/W ARTICLE 215 OF THE
CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO INITIATE CONTEMPT
OF COURT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE ACCUSED FOR
HAVING COMMITTED CONTEMPT OF COURT IN NOT
IMPLEMENTING THE ORDER DATED 02.04.2024 AT
ANNEXURE-A PASSED BY THE HON'BLE COURT IN WRIT
PETITION NO.201142/2023, THEREFORE, THE ACCUSED MAY
BE PUNISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW AND FURTHER BE
PLEASED TO AWARD COST OF THE PROCEEDINGS, IN THE
INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY.
THIS CCC COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER
WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R.NATARAJ
and
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TYAGARAJA N. INAVALLY
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NC: 2026:KHC-K:384-DB
CCC No. 200245 of 2025
HC-KAR
ORAL ORDER
(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R.NATARAJ) This contempt petition is filed alleging non- compliance of the order dated 02.04.2024 passed by this Court in W.P.No.201142/2023.
2(i). The complainant in W.P.No.201142/2023 had challenged an order passed by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal, Kalaburagi Bench rejecting his application, which was filed challenging the notification dated 03.10.2022, appointing him as a Group-D employee by considering his educational qualification as SSLC and not considering his Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA).
(ii) A Division Bench of this Court in terms of an order dated 02.04.2024 disposed off the writ petition and held that the BCA degree issued by University of Bilaspur is a recognized degree and the complainant is entitled to seek for appointment based on the degree. Therefore, a direction was issued to reconsider the application of the -4- NC: 2026:KHC-K:384-DB CCC No. 200245 of 2025 HC-KAR petitioner for appointment to Group-C post considering his qualification as Bachelor in Computer Application. The complainant has alleged that the direction of this Court is not complied and therefore he has filed this contempt petition.
3. The learned Additional Advocate General has today placed on record an endorsement dated 02.01.2026, by which the accused No.2 has rejected the claim of the complainant on the ground that on verification of the 12th Standard marks card, it was found that the institution which had issued the marks card did not exist. Therefore, the request of the complainant for Group-C post was rejected. The learned Addl. Advocate General therefore submits that the complainant is not entitled for a Group-C post as there is a doubt about the 12th Standard marks card placed on record by the complainant.
4. Learned counsel for the complainant however contended that this is a continuing contempt as this Court had recognized the BCA Degree as sufficient for the -5- NC: 2026:KHC-K:384-DB CCC No. 200245 of 2025 HC-KAR purpose of employment and therefore it was incumbent upon the accused to consider the BCA Degree and grant appointment in Group-C post.
5. We have considered submissions of the learned counsel for the complainant and the learned Addl. Advocate General for the respondents/accused.
6. The Division Bench of this Court while considering the case of the complainant had held that BCA Degree issued by University of Bilaspur is a recognized degree based upon which appointments could be made. The Division Bench therefore directed the Chief Engineer to reconsider the application of the complainant to Group-C post by considering his qualification as BCA. It appears that the accused has verified the credentials of the complainant and has found that the institution which had issued the 12th Standard marks card did not exist. The accused are entitled to verify the genunity of the documents placed by the complainant and therefore if in the course of such verification if the accused have come to -6- NC: 2026:KHC-K:384-DB CCC No. 200245 of 2025 HC-KAR the conclusion that the marks cards produced by the complainants are doubtful, they are entitled to reject the case of the complainant. Now, that the accused No.2 has rejected the case of the complainant on that ground, we do not propose to proceed any further in this contempt petition.
Accordingly, the contempt proceedings against the accused are dropped.
It is open for the complainant to challenge the endorsement issued by the accused No.2 in accordance with law. Any observation made herein shall not affect the petitioner in the event he assails the endorsement issued by accused No.2.
Sd/-
(R.NATARAJ) JUDGE Sd/-
(TYAGARAJA N. INAVALLY) JUDGE BL List No.: 1 Sl No.: 15