Smt Bhagyamma v. The State of Karnataka

NC:(2026:KHC:11705( WP(No.(21666(of(2025( ( , ,,HC-KAR( ( ( IN(THE(HIGH(COURT(OF(KARNATAKA(AT(BENGALURU(

THDATED(THIS(THE(25 (DAY(OF(FEBRUARY,(2026(

BEFORE( THE(HON'BLE(MR.(JUSTICE(R(DEVDAS( WRIT(PETITION(NO.(21666(OF(2025((KLR-LG)( ( BETWEEN:(( (

1., SMT.,BHAGYAMMA, W/O,LATE,RAMACHANDRA,SHETTY,,, AGED,ABOUT,71,YEARS,, R/O,PETE,BEEDI,,GORUR,VILLAGE,,, KATTAYA,HOBLI,,, HASSAN,TALUK,AND,DISTRICT-573,210., ,

2., SRI.,GURUMURTHY, S/O,LATE,RAMACHANDRA,SHETTY,,, AGED,ABOUT,55,YEARS,,, R/O,PETE,BEEDI,,GORUR,VILLAGE,,, KATTAYA,HOBLI,,, HASSAN,TALUK,AND,DISTRICT-573,210., …PETITIONERS, , Digitally signedtiby (BY,SRI.,NARENDRA,GOWDA,,ADVOCATE), LAKSHMI0T ( Location: High0Court AND:( of0Karnataka (

1., THE,STATE,OF,KARNATAKA, REP,BY,ITS,PRINCIPAL,SECRETARY,,, DEPARTMENT,OF,REVENUE,,, VIDHANA,SOUDHA,,, BENGALURU-560,001., ,

2., THE,DEPUTY,COMMISSIONER,, HASSAN,DISTRICT,,, HASSAN-573,210., , ,

¶3THE ASST. COMMISSIONER, HASSAN SUB DIVISION, HASSAN-573 210.

¶4THE SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER HEMAVATHI RESERVIOR PROJECT, HASSAN-573 210.

5. THE TAHSILDHAR HASSAN TALUK, HASSAN-573 210. …RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI. V. SESHU, HCGP)

THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENT TO CONSIDER THE CASE OF PETITIONERS FOR ALLOTMENT OF ALTERNATIVE LAND FOR HAVING ACQUIRED THEIR LAND FOR HEMAVATHI RESERVOIR VIDE ANNEXURE-G.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS

ORAL ORDER

Learned High Court Government Pleader takes notice for all the respondents.

¶2The petitioners contend that they lost 1 Acre 17 Guntas of land in Survey No.8 of Manchanahalli Village, Kattaya Hobli, Hassan District, due to submergence of the

lands on the establishment of the Hemavathi Reservoir Project.

¶3Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the State of Karnataka announced certain beneficiary scheme and rehabilitation package for the land users in addition to the payment of compensation. One of the benefits announced for such land users was that they will be given alternative agricultural lands elsewhere in the District. The prayer made in this writ petition is to issue a writ of mandamus to the 4th respondent-Special Land Acquisition Officer, Hemavathi Reservoir Project, Hassan, to take action on the Gazette notification dated

25.09.1975 at Annexure-G given by the petitioners for grant of alternative land.

¶4This Court in several such petition has found that lands were granted in terms of the rehabilitation package and thereafter several orders have been passed cancelling the grants for various reasons. Nevertheless, it

is an undistributed fact that such rehabilitation package was indeed announced for the project displaced persons.

¶5In that view of the matter, the writ petition stands disposed of with a specific direction to the 4th respondent-Special Land Acquisition Officer, Hemavathi Reservoir Project, Hassan, to consider the application given by the petitioners, verify the records and thereafter, pass necessary orders in accordance with law and in accordance with the scheme formulated by the State Government. The entire exercise shall be completed as expeditiously as possible and at any rate within a period of four months from the date of receipt of copy of this order.

¶6Learned High Court Government Pleader is permitted to file memo of appearance within a period of four weeks from today.

Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE

HB/List No.: 1 Sl No.: 23