Karnataka High Court
WA/1123/2026 of KRISHNAPPA K C, Vs THE STATE OF KARNATAKA on 11 August 2026
CNR: KAHC010256622026 NC: 2026:KHC:42509-DB WA No. 1132 of 2026 C/W WA No. 1123 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 11TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA WRIT APPEAL NO. 1132 OF
HC-KAR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 11TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2026
PRESENT
THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE
AND
THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA
WRIT APPEAL NO. 1132 OF 2026 (CS-EL/M)
C/W
WRIT APPEAL NO. 1123 OF 2026 (CS-EL/M)
IN WA No. 1132/2026
BETWEEN:
1.
NADAGOUDA VENKAT RAO
S/O RAMARAO NADAGOUDA
AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS
PRESIDENT/DELEGATE
KARNATAKA STATE CO-OPERATIVE
OIL SEED GROWERS FEDERATION LTD
SAHAKARA UNION, NO.11, 4TH FLOOR
BLUE CROSS CHAMBERS
INFANTRY CROSS ROAD
BENGALURU - 560 001
2.
SHIVAKUMAR S. PATIL
S/O SHIDDALINGA GOUDA
AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS
DIRECTOR/DELEGATE GADAGA DISTRICT
COOPERATIVE UNION LTD.
TOTADARYA VIDYAPEETA BUILDING
Digitally
signed by
VEERENDRA
KUMAR K M
Location:
High Court of
Karnataka
HC-KAR
1ST FLOOR, ROTARY CIRCLE
GADAGA - 582 101
3.
KASHILING HUDED
S/O BHIMAPPA
AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS
DIRECTOR/DELEGATE BAGALKOT DISTRICT
COOPERATIVE UNION LTD.
SAHAKARA UNION, SECTOR NO.25
OPP. SOMESWARA TEMPLE
NAVANAGAR, BAGALKOT - 587 101
4.
MANJUNATH GOUDA MURALLI
S/O SHANKAR GOUDA MURALLI
AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS
DIRECTOR/DELEGATE DHARAWADA DISTRICT
COOPERATIVE UNION LTD.
SAHAKARI JNANA MANDIRA
1ST MAIN, 2ND CROSS, NARAYANAPURA
DHARAWADA - 580 008
…APPELLANTS
(BY SRI SHIVARAM RAMAKRISHNA BHAT, ADVOCATE)
AND:
1.
THE STATE OF KARNATAKA
REPRESENTED BY ITS
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY
DEPARTMENT OF COOPERATIVE
M. S. BUILDING
BANGALORE- 560 001
2.
THE COOPERATIVE ELECTION AUTHORITY
3RD FLOOR, SHANTINAGAR
TTMC 'A' BLOCK, K.H.ROAD
SHANTINAGAR
HC-KAR
BENGALURU - 560 027
REPRESENTED BY IT'S COMMISSIONER
3.
THE REGIONAL COMMISSIONER/
DISTRICT ELECTION COMMISSIONER
BANGALORE DIVISION
BANGALORE - 560 018
4.
THE RETURNING OFFICER
BANGALORE, BANGALORE DISTRICT
THE KARNATAKA STATE CO-OPERATIVE
FEDERATION LTD
NO.32, 3RD FLOOR
D. DEVARAJ ARAS ROAD
BANGALORE - 560 001
5.
THE KARNATAKA STATE CO-OPERATIVE
FEDERATION LTD
NO.32. 3RD FLOOR
D. DEVARAJ ARAS ROAD
BANGALORE - 560 001
REP. BY ITS PRESIDENT
6.
THE ADDITIONAL REGISTRAR OF
CO-OPERATIVE (CREDIT)
NO. 1, ALI ASKER ROAD
BANGALORE - 560 052
7.
THE KARNATAKA STATE LIQUOR
MERCHANTS DEVELOPMENT
CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.
R/AT NO.45, SHARADASHRI
VISHWAMANAVA JODI ROAD
KUVEMPU NAGAR, MYSORE - 570 010
REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT
HC-KAR
SRI KRITHIK.H S/O HUCHAPPA
AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS
…RESPONDENTS
(BY SMT. PRATHIMA HONNAPURA, ADDL. ADVOCATE GENERAL
FOR R-1, R-3, R-4 & R-6;
SRI A. DEVARAJA, ADVOCATE FOR R-2,
SRI K. ANANDA, ADVOCATE FOR R-5,
NOTICE TO R-7 IS SERVED AND UNREPRSENTED)
THIS WRIT APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE
KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO ALLOW THE
PRESENT WRIT APPEAL BY SETTING ASIDE THE INTERIM ORDER
DATED 18/03/2026 PASSED IN W.P.NO.8337/2026, THEREBY
PERMITTING THE CONTINUATION AND COMPLETION OF THE
ELECTION PROCESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW.
IN WA NO. 1123/2026
BETWEEN:
1.
KRISHNAPPA K.C.
S/O CHOUDAPPA
AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS
VICE PRESIDENT/DELEGATE
BENGALURU CITY DISTRICT
CO-OPERATIVE UNION LTD
SAHAKARA BHAVANA
NO.1/3, 3RD MAIN ROAD
BEHIND KANNADA SAHITYA PARISHAT
CHAMARAJAPETE
BENGALURU - 560 018
2.
N GANGANNA
S/O LATE NAGANNA
AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS
DIRECTOR/DELEGATE
HC-KAR
TUMAKURU DISTRICT
COOPERATIVE UNION LTD.
'SAHAKARA BHAVANA'
9TH MAIN ROAD (KANAKAMBARA)
2ND CROSS ROAD, GOKULA LAYOUT
KYATHSANDRA POST
TUMAKURU - 572 104
3.
J.R. SHANMUGAPPA
S/O JENTHIKOLALU REVAPPA
AGED ABOUT 78 YEARS
DIRECTOR/DELEGATE
DAVANAGERE DISTRICT
COOPERATIVE UNION LTD.
KALAPRAKASHA VRUNDA
OPPOSITE GANAPATHI TEMPLE
1ST FLOOR, VINOBANAGAR
2ND MAIN ROAD, MCC 'A' BLOCK
DAVANAGERE - 577 004
4.
GIRISH S.R.
S/O RUDRAPPA S
AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS
DIRECTOR/DELEGATE
CHITRADURGA DISTRICT
COOPERATIVE UNION LTD.
OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF
COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES
1ST FLOOR, SAHAKARA BHAVANA
B.L. GOWDA LAYOUT
TURUVANURU ROAD
KELAGOTE, CHITRADURGA - 577 501
5.
K.P. CHENNABYRE GOWDA
S/O K.B. PILLAPPA
AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS
HC-KAR
DIRECTOR/DELEGATE
CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT
COOPERATIVE UNION LTD.
SAHAKARA BHAVANA, NH-44
OPPOSITE TRAFFIC POLICE STATION
HAROBANDE CROSS
CHIKKABALLAPURA - 562 101
...APPELLANTS
(BY SRI SHIVARAM RAMAKRISHNA BHAT, ADVOCATE)
AND:
1.
THE STATE OF KARNATAKA
REPRESENTED BY ITS
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY
DEPARTMENT OF COOPERATIVE
M.S. BUILDING
BANGALORE- 560 001
2.
THE CO-OPERATIVE ELECTION AUTHORITY
3RD FLOOR, SHANTINAGAR
TTMC 'A' BLOCK
K.H.ROAD, SHANTINAGAR
BENGALURU - 560 027
REPRESENTED BY IT'S COMMISSIONER
3.
THE REGIONAL COMMISSIONER/
DISTRICT ELECTION COMMISSIONER
BANGALORE DIVISION
BANGALORE - 560 018
4.
THE RETURNING OFFICER
BANGALORE, BANGALORE DISTRICT
THE KARNATAKA STATE CO OPERATIVE
FEDERATION LTD.
HC-KAR
NO.32, 3RD FLOOR
D. DEVARAJ ARAS ROAD
BANGALORE - 560 001
5.
THE KARNATAKA STATE
CO OPERATIVE FEDERATION LTD.
NO.32. 3RD FLOOR
D. DEVARAJ ARAS ROAD
BANGALORE - 560 001
REP. BY ITS PRESIDENT
6.
THE ADDITIONAL REGISTRAR
OF CO-OPERATIVE (CREDIT)
NO.1, ALI ASKER ROAD
BANGALORE - 560 052
7.
SRI ASHOK H.N.
S/O. NARASAPPA H.G.
AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS
HULIKATTE, CHAKRABAVI
CHAKRABHAVI, RAMANAGAR
KARNATAKA - 562 120
8.
SRI. BASAVARAJA NILAPPA ARABAGONDA
S/O NILAPPA
AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS
KATENAHALLI HAVERI
KARNATAKA - 581 110
9.
SRI CHANDRASHEKHAR
S/O SHIVANANJAPPA
AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS
PRESIDENT OF KARNATAKA
STATE CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT
SOCIETIES FEDERATION LTD.
NO.126, 1ST MAIN ROAD
HC-KAR
J. B. KAVAL, NANDINI LAYOUT
BANGALORE - 560 096
10.
THE KARNATAKA STATE LIQUOR
MERCHANTS DEVELOPMENT
CO-OPERATIE SOCIETY LTD.
R/AT No. 45, SHARADASHRI
VISHWAMANAVA JODI ROAD
KUVEMPU NAGAR
MYSORE - 570 010
REP. BY ITS PRESIDENT
SRI KRITHIK H S/O HUCHAPPA
AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS
...RESPONDENTS
(BY SMT. PRATHIMA HONNAPURA, ADDL. ADVOCATE GENERAL
FOR R-1, R-3, R-4 & R-6;
SRI A. DEVARAJA, ADVOCATE FOR R-2,
SRI K. ANANDA, ADVOCATE FOR R-5,
SRI P.P. HEGDE, SENIOR ADVOCATE FOR
SRI RAJARAM SOORYAMBAIL, ADVOCATE FOR R-7 & R-8; SRI ANOOP HARANAHALLI, ADVOCATE FOR R-9 & R-10)
THIS WRIT APPEAL FILED U/S 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH
COURT ACT PRAYING TO ALLOW THE PRESENT WRIT APPEAL BY
SETTING ASIDE THE INTERIM ORDER DATED 18.03.2026 PASSED
IN W.P.No.6945/2026, THEREBY PERMITTING THE CONTINUATION
AND
COMPLETION
OF
THE
ELECTION
PROCESS
IN
ACCORDANCE WITH LAW.
THESE APPEALS, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:
HC-KAR
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE
and
HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA
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ORAL JUDGMENT
(PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE)
1. The appellants have filed the present appeals impugning a common order dated 18.03.2026, passed by the learned Single Judge in W.P.No.8337/2026 (CS-EL/M) C/W W.P.No.6945/2026 (CS-EL/M).
2. By virtue of the said interim order, the learned Single Judge had restrained the conduct of elections of the Federation, as well as the implementation of the notification and calendar of events dated 03.03.2026.
3. A plain reading of the said order indicates that the said order is premised on the basis that Section 28A of Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1969 [KCS Act] are not been followed.
4. The learned counsel appearing for the parties state that the said premise no longer survives as the notification dated
HC-KAR
12.09.2025, notifying the Karnataka Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2025, whereby Section 28A was introduced in the Act, has been stayed.
5. Since the fundamental premise on which the interim order is granted does not survive, the present appeals are allowed and the impugned order is set aside.
6. The elections that have been stayed would continue from the stage at which they were interdicted. However, we clarify that this order would not preclude the parties from seeking any interim relief, if so advised, in the pending writ petitions.
Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE
Sd/- (K.S. HEMALEKHA) JUDGE
KMV List No.: 1 Sl No.: 23