Karnataka High Court
Smt. Gangalakshmamma vs State Of Karnataka on 8 April, 2026
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NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB
WP No. 20012 of 2025
HC-KAR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 8TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026
PRESENT
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH
AND
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T.M.NADAF
WRIT PETITION NO. 20012 OF 2025 (KLGP)
BETWEEN:
SMT. GANGALAKSHMAMMA,
D/OS RI LAKSHMAIAH,
AGE ABOUT 50 YEARS,
PRESENTLY WORKING AS
EXECUTIVE ENGINEER,
BENGALURU WATER SUPPLY
AND SEWERAGE BOARD(BWSSB),
WWM STP, CHALLAGHATTA VALLEY,
KURUDUSONNENAHALLI MAIN ROAD,
MEDIHHALLI VILLAGE,
BIDARAHALLI HOBLI,
Digitally
signed by BENGALURU EAST TALUK,
REKHA R BENGALURU - 560 049.
Location: ...PETITIONER
High Court
of Karnataka (BY SRI. SRINIVAS, ADVOCATE FOR
SRI. B L SANJEEV., ADVOCATE)
AND:
1. STATE OF KARNATAKA,
REPRESENTED BY
ITS SECRETARY
REVENUE DEPARTMENT,
VIDHANA SOUDHA,
BENGALURU - 560 001.
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NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB
WP No. 20012 of 2025
HC-KAR
2. THE TAHSILDAR,
BENGALURU EAST TALUK,
K.R. PURAM,
BENGALURU - 560 036.
...RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI. G.S. ARUNA, HCGP FOR RESPONDENT NO.1 & 2)
THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226
AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO
ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF CERTIORARI OR ANY OTHER
WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION QUASHING THE ENTIRE
PROCEEDINGS IN CASE LGC (G) No.469/2021 PENDING ON
THE FILE OF KARNATAKA LAND GRABBING PROHIBITION
SPECIAL COURT, BENGALURU (VIDE ANNEXURE-M) 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 D K SINGH
and
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T.M.NADAF
ORAL ORDER
(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T.M. NADAF) The Executive Engineer, Bangalore Water Supply & Sewerage Board1 is before us invoking the Article 226 and 227 of Constitution of India r/w Section 482 of the 1 BWSSB for short -3- NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB WP No. 20012 of 2025 HC-KAR Criminal Procedure Code, seeking to quash the entire proceedings in case number LGC(G)No.469/2021 pending on the file of Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Special Court, Bengaluru2 (Annexure-M) with such other reliefs.
2. The parties are referred to by their rankings before the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Special Court, Bengaluru.
3. Facts germane to file this writ petition are as under:
4. BWSSB is a Statutory Body constituted under the provisions of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 19643. The general duty of the Board is providing water supply and improving the existing supply of water and making adequate provision for the sewerage and disposal of sewerage in the Bangalore Metropolitan Area. In the year 2007, vide Notification dated 16.07.2007, Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) was re-designated as 2 KLGP Spl.Ct 3 Act of 1964 -4- NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB WP No. 20012 of 2025 HC-KAR Bruhath Bangalore Mahanagara Palike4, specifying local areas in Schedule B. Thus, 7 CMC, 1 TMC and 110 Villages have been included to the jurisdiction of BBMP. In view of the same, the jurisdiction of the Board was expanded to 800 Sq Kms beyond the core area of old 100 wards (about 225 Sq kms).
5. A complaint came to be lodged before Karnataka Lokayukta by all the general public residing near Yalemalappa Chetti Tank in Sy.No.63 of Medahalli Village, Bidarahalli Hobli, Bengaluru East Taluk, contending that certain local residents have encroached the Yalemallappa Chetti Tank and its buffer zone and are dumping the construction wastes/debris in the land and the untreated sewage drained into the lake and requested to establish Sewage Treatment Plant in order to avoid untreated sewage being drained into the lake. 4 BBMP -5- NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB WP No. 20012 of 2025 HC-KAR
6. On the complaint, the Karnataka Lokayukta directed the Government to establish Sewage Treatment Plant and as per the direction, the Government requested the petitioner-BWSSB to establish Sewage Treatment Plant. Under the Government Order, the Assistant Executive Engineer, Minor Irrigation Department transferred an extent of 2 acres 20 guntas of land in Sy.No.63 to the petitioner for establishing sewage treatment plant as per Annexures-A and B. Similarly, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board5 allotted an extent of 3 acres 1 gunta of land in the adjacent Sy.Nos.64/1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7 of Medahalli Village, Bidarahalli Hobli, Bengaluru East Taluk for the purpose of establishment of Sewage Treatment Plant.
7. Upon the allotment, the Board has paid the allotment charges to the KIADB and pursuant to the same has taken possession of the lands from the Government and KIADB and established Sewage Treatment Plant. 5 KIADB -6- NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB WP No. 20012 of 2025 HC-KAR Photographs depicting and evidencing the same vide Annexure-E series produced with the writ petition.
8. When the matter stood thus, a complaint under Section 9(2) of Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Act, 20116 came to be instituted before the KLGP Spl.Ct, alleging that the Board has encroached an extent of 3 acres 25 guntas in Sy.No.63 of Medahalli Village for the purpose of Sewage Water Treatment Plant and sought for an action against the encroacher as per law and to take that land into the possession of the Government. The complaint came to be registered as L.G.C(G)No.469/2021.
9. The KLGP Spl.Ct after taking cognizance on 19.07.2023 for the offence punishable under Section 4(3) of Act of 2011, against the petitioner, issued summons to the petitioner. The petitioner appeared before the Court and enlarged on bail on executing personal bond of 6 Act of 2011 -7- NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB WP No. 20012 of 2025 HC-KAR Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) and filed statement of objections to the complaint (Annexure-G).
10. Though the land has been granted by the Government as well as KIADB, for the purpose of establishment of Sewage Treatment Plant, the proceedings were initiated at the instance of respondent No.2 and the Executive Engineer, BWSSB was made personally liable for the action in the entire proceedings initiated before the KLGP Spl Court. Aggrieved by the initiation of proceedings, the petitioner is before us in this writ petition.
11. This Court after hearing both the sides and having considered the fact that the dispute is between the Department of Revenue, Government of Karnataka and the BWSSB in respect of the land in question, passed an order on 10.11.2025, which reads as under:
"Notice on behalf of the respondents has been accepted by Mr.Sudev Hegde, learned Additional Government Advocate.
It appears that there is a dispute between the Department of Revenue, Government of Karnataka and -8- NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB WP No. 20012 of 2025 HC-KAR the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewage Board (for short 'the BWSSB') in respect of the land in question.
We directed the Principal Secretary, Department of Revenue, Government of Karnataka and the Chairman of BWSSB to sit together in order to find out the solution to the problem.
Till the next date of posting of this writ petition, the pending proceedings in case No.LGC(G)No.469/2021 on the file of Karnataka Land Grabbing Special Court, Bengaluru (Annexure-M) shall remain stayed."
12. This Court while passing the aforesaid order stayed further proceedings before the KLGP Spl.Court. In pursuance of the order dated 10.11.2025, Mr.G.S.Aruna, learned High Court Government Pleader on 24.11.2025 submits that Government may be granted two more weeks further time to conduct the meeting of the Principal Secretary, Department of Revenue, Government of Karnataka and Chairman, BWSSB as directed by the Court on earlier occasion and find out the solution to the problem. Considering the submission of learned HCGP, this Court passed order on 24.11.2025 which reads as under:
"Mr.G.S.Aruna, learned HCGP submits that the Government may be granted two weeks further time to conduct the meeting of the Principal Secretary, Department of Revenue, Government of Karnataka and Chairman of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board -9- NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB WP No. 20012 of 2025 HC-KAR as directed by this Court to find out the solution to the problem.
Considering the said request, we adjourn the case to two weeks. However, we make it clear that if the meeting does not take place, both Principal Secretary, Department of Revenue and the Chairman of BWSSB shall remain present on the next date of posting of this petition.
List on 11.12.2025.
Interim order granted earlier is extended till the next date of hearing."
13. Thereafter, the matter was adjourned on several occasions and ultimately on 16.03.2026, this Court observed as under:
"In compliance of the order dated 24.11.2025, a joint meeting of Principal Secretary to Government of Karnataka, Revenue Department with the Chairman, BWSSB, Bengaluru, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru Urban District, Bengaluru, Additional Secretary to Government, Revenue Department (Land Grant) and the Tahsildar, Bengaluru East Taluk, K.R.Puram, Bengaluru, took place on 11.12.2025.
In the said meeting BWSSB was required to submit the proposal to the government requesting formal grant of 1 acre 20 guntas of land (where STP is already been constructed but not yet sanctioned by the Revenue Department) and for withdrawal of the writ petition filed by the BWSSB before the High Court.
In pursuance to the said resolution of the committee meeting, the BWSSB had addressed formal proposal to the Government requesting the formal grant of 1 acre and 20 guntas of land for constructing the STP, which has already been constructed. The Government has not
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NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB WP No. 20012 of 2025 HC-KAR yet taken a decision on the said proposal submitted by the BWSSB.
We therefore, direct the Principal Secretary, Government of Karnataka, Department of Revenue, to take a decision on the proposal of BWSSB in respect formal grant of 1 acre 20 guntas of land, where STP has already been constructed within a period of two weeks from today. The State Government must place a copy of the decision before this Court on the next date of posting of this writ petition.
Post this petition on 08.04.2026.
Interim order granted earlier, if any, shall remain in operation till the next date of posting."
14. On 08.04.2026, as this Court having found that there is no compliance of order dated 16.03.2026 directed the Principal Secretary, Government of Karnataka, Department of Revenue, to be present before the Court, if the decision in compliance of order dated 16.03.2026 is not taken before the next date of posting and ordered to list the matter on 21.04.2026. The matter was thereafter advanced on 08.04.2026. On the said date, learned High Court Government Pleader placed an order regarding the approval of land in favour of petitioner-BWSSB dated 08.04.2026, wherein the Government has granted its prior approval for allotment of land in favour of the petitioner- BWSSB in Sy.No.63 to an extent of 1 acre 05 guntas.
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NC: 2026:KHC:21667-DB WP No. 20012 of 2025 HC-KAR
15. In view of the decision taken at the Government level for allotment of land in favour of the petitioner, the complaint before the KLGP Spl.Court does not survive for consideration and becomes infructuous and required to be obliterated.
16. In that view of the matter, we proceed to pass the following:
ORDER
(i) Writ petition is allowed.
(ii) The proceedings in LGC(G)No.469/2021 on the file of Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Special Court, Bengaluru (Annexure-M) are hereby quashed against the petitioner.
Sd/-
(D K SINGH) JUDGE Sd/-
(T.M.NADAF) JUDGE RR List No.: 2 Sl No.: 5/ct-vn