Smt. Girijamma v. The State of Karnataka

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 26TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS WRIT PETITION NO. 3298 OF 2026 (LR-) BETWEEN: SMT. GIRIJAMMA WIFE OF REVANNA, DAUGHTER OF LATE CHIKKANNNA, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, TALEKOPPA VILLAGE AND POST, CHELUR HOBLI, GUBBI TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572117. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SATISHCHANDRA R, ADVOCATE) AND:

¶1THE STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, BY ITS SECRETARY, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, M.S.BUILDING, VIDHANASOUDHA, BENGALURU 560 001.

¶2THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DC OFFICE, MINI VIDHANA SOUDHA, TUMAKURU-572216

¶3THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF TIPTUR SUB-DIVISION, B.H. ROAD, OPPOSITE B.E.O OFFICE, TIPTUR, KARNATAKA-572201.

¶4THE TAHASILDAR OF GUBBI TALUK by SHARADAVANI B Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA e -e2e-eeeee e e NC:(2026:KHC:12415 WP(No.(3298(of(2026 MG,ROAD,,GUBBI,,, TUMKUR,DISTRICT-572216., …RESPONDENTS, (BY,SRI.K,P,YOGANNA,AGA), , THIS, WP, IS, FILED, UNDER, ARTICLES, 226, AND, 227, OF, THE, CONSTITUTION, OF, INDIA, PRAYING, TO, QUASHING, NOTIFICATION, ISSUED, UNDER, SECTION, 38, OF, KARNATAKA, LAND,REFORMS,ACT,,1961,AND,IN,FORM-2,E,UNDER,RULE-9,

(B),SUB-RULE,(3),OF,KARNATAKA,LAND,REFORMS,RULES-1974, ISSUED, BY, THE, RESPONDENT, NO.2,, PRODUCED, AT, ANNEXURE-D, DATED, 15.10.2025, FILE, NO., DDLRTK-TNL0RV/512/2025,-TECH,AND,ETC.,, , 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, Additional, Government, Advocate, takes, notice,for,respondent,Nos.1,to,4.,,

2., Although,, the, matter, is, coming, up, for, preliminary, hearing,, with, the, consent, of, the, learned, counsel, for, petitioner, and, the, learned, Additional, Government, Advocate,, the, matter, is, taken, up, for, final, disposal.,,

¶3In this writ petition, petitioners are aggrieved of the impugned notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner exercising powers under Section 38A of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961 declaring certain areas as 'unrecorded habitation', which also includes the lands belonging to the petitioner.

¶4Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that there are several judgments of this Court including a batch of writ petitions in W.P.No.101121/2022 and connected matters, which were disposed of on 23.01.2024, followed by orders passed in W.P.No.9321/2024 dated 22.01.2025 and W.P.No.103974/2022 dated 28.02.2025, where this Court has clearly held that the Court has come across several matters where notifications under Section 38A of the Act 1961 have been issued by Deputy Commissioners without issuing any public notice and/or even verifying the revenue records. The Deputy Commissioners were advised that in future they shall firstly look into the revenue records, obtain the details as regards the lands which are

proposed to be notified under Section 38A of the Act before issuing any notification. It was directed that if entries are found in the revenue records showing an individual as the kathedar, then notices will have to be issued to such persons who are the recorded kathedars. It was directed that if no entries are found, then the Deputy Commissioner will have to record such a statement that no entries are found in the revenue records, so that in the event of any challenge being raised, Deputy Commissioner can fall back on the said information.

¶5This Court has also considered the powers of the Deputy Commissioner as contained in Section 38A(1). The provision reads as follows; "(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any other law for the time being in force, where in any village, agricultural labourer is ordinarily residing on dwelling house on a land not belonging to him in an unrecorded habitations like Lambani Tanda, Gollarahatti, Vaddarahatti, Kurubarhatti, Nayakarahatti, Majare Grama, Haadi, Doddi, Palya, Camp, Colony or any other such unrecorded habitations falling within jursidiction of that village, on date of

commencement of Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 2016, which is notified as such by Deputy Commissioner, specifying survey numbers and boundaries in the pre scribed manner, such dwelling house or houses along with the site thereof and land immediately appurtenant thereto and necessary for its enjoyment shall, on the date of such notification by Deputy Commissioner, vest absolutely in the State Government, free from all encumbrances and the agricultural labourer shall be entitled to be registered as owner thereof."

¶6It is therefore clear that if the revenue records disclose the fact that the lands are standing in the name of a private individual, then it will not permit the Deputy Commissioner to record same as 'unrecorded habitations'. In that view of the matter, it is clear that in all cases where the revenue records would reveal or disclose the name of a private individual as the kathedar, then it would divest the Deputy Commissioner from power to proceed as 'unrecorded habitation'. From a perusal of the RTC extract and revenue records at Annexure-A, it is evident that the name of the petitioner was entered in the

same and that the petitioner is the khatedar of the said land.

¶7In that view of the matter, the writ petition is allowed. The impugned notification at Annexure-D dated

15.10.2025 bearing No.DDLRTK-TNL0RV/512/2025-TECH is hereby quashed and set aside. Consequently, it is hereby directed that respondents - Tahasildar, Gubbi Taluk and the Deputy Commissioner, Tumakuru District, shall immediately restore the name of the petitioner in the revenue records. Learned Additional Government Advocate is permitted to file memo of appearance within a period of four weeks from today. Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE SSD List No.: 1 Sl No.: 10