SRI. SHREYAS. R vs THE REGISTRAR

- 1 -
HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:56705
WP No. 22131 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010488072026
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
TH
DATED THIS THE 8 DAY OF OCTOBER, 2026
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S SUNIL DUTT YADAV
WRIT PETITION NO. 22131 OF 2026 (EDN-RES)
BETWEEN:
1.
SRI. SHREYAS. R
S/O SRI RAMESH R
AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS
NO. A114, LOTUS PALACE,
2ND CROSS, BLOOMING DATE LAYOUT
KASAVANAHALLI, BANGALORE-35,
MOB: 9916000616
… PETITIONER
(BY SRI. ANINDITA CHAKRABOTY., ADVOCATE)
AND:
Digitally
signed by
PRAKASH N
Location:
HIGH COURT
OF
KARNATAKA
1. THE REGISTRAR
KARNATAKA STATE OPEN UNIVERSITY
MUKTHAGANGOTRI, MYSORE
PIN-570 006.
2. STATE OF KARNATAKA
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION,
M.S. BUILDING, DR.B.R.AMBEDKAR VEEDHI,
BANGALORE 560 001.
REP. BY ITS ADDITIONAL CHIEF SECRETARY
…RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI. MANJUNATH B R., ADVOCATE FOR R1;
SMT. RASHMI RAO, HCGP FOR R2)

- 2 -
HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:56705
WP No. 22131 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010488072026
THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO CALL FOR
RELEVANT RECORDS FROM THE RESPONDENTS AND I. ISSUE A
WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE
RESPONDENT NO.1 TO ISSUE DEGREE/CONVOCATION
CERTIFICATE, VERIFY MARKS CARD IN RESPECT OF HIS BCA
AND MCA DEGREES OBTAINED FROM IT WITH REGISTRATION
NUMBER 0923LBCA14 AND 12422LMCA526 DURING THE YEAR
2009-2011, 2012-2015 RESPECTIVELY AND ALSO ISSUE
GENUINENESS CERTIFICATE TO THE PETITIONER WITH
RESPECT TO THE COURSES UNDERTAKEN BY HIM IN ORDER
TO ENABLE HIM TO UTILIZE THE DEGREES IN FUTURE FOR
HER JOB AND OTHER PURPOSES 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 S SUNIL DUTT YADAV
ORAL ORDER
The petitioner has sought for issuance of writ in the
nature of mandamus to direct respondent No.1 to issue
Degree/Convocation Certificate and verify the Marks Card
in respect of BCA and MCA Degrees obtained from it
bearing Registration Numbers - 0923LBCA14 and
12422LMCA526 during the year 2009-2011, 2012-2015
respectively and also issue Genuineness Certificate to the
petitioner insofar as the documents and the Courses
undertaken by the petitioner.

- 3 -
HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:56705
WP No. 22131 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010488072026
2. The petitioner submits that the present petition
may be disposed of in terms of the observations made in
W.P.No.21987/2026 disposed of on 10.09.2026.
3. The observations made in the order dated
10.09.2026 passed in W.P.No.21987/2027 at paras-3 to 5
are extracted hereinbelow:-
"3. Learned counsel for respondent No.1
submits that taking note of the observations made in
W.P.No.26924/2026, the matter may be disposed of
on same terms.
4. The observations made at para-3 and 4
of the aforesaid petition reads as follows:
3. Learned counsel, Sri. Rajendra
Kumar Sungay for respondent No.1
submits that the matter may be disposed
of taking note of the orders of the Co-
ordinate Bench of this Court supra. The
relevant observations made by the Co-
ordinate Bench of this Court in the
aforesaid petition reads as follows:
" 12. The issue involved in this case
is squarely covered by the order
passed by a Co-ordinate Bench of
this Court in the case of
SMT.SARASWATI BIRADAR vs.
KARNATAKA STATE OPEN
UNIVERSITY AND OTHERS
(W.P.No. 28903/2024 disposed
of on 15.04.2025), wherein the Co-

- 4 -
HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:56705
WP No. 22131 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010488072026
ordinate Bench, after considering the
entire material on record, has held in
paragraph Nos. 10 to 12 as follows:
“10. A perusal of the material on
record will also indicate that the
petitioner having enrolled/
admitted as a student for MA
course in History during the
period 2013-14 to 2014-15 and
also having successfully
completed/passed the
examination/course, pursuant to
which the KSOU has issued
marks card/sheet in her favour
duly acknowledging the same,
respondent No.1- KSOU is
clearly estopped from
declining/refusing to issue a
genuineness certificate in favour
of the petitioner, particularly
when the petitioner has changed
her stance and obtained
employment as a lecturer of
History in Government PU
College on the basis of her
having studied and successfully
completed MA Course in History
pursuant to the representation
made by the KSOU, whose
contention is barred by the
principles of estoppel and
acquiescence and on this ground
also, the impugned
communication deserves to be
quashed.
11. In so far as the contention
urged by the KSOU that there
cannot be estoppel against law
since the KSOU was not duly
recognised by the UGC during

- 5 -
HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:56705
WP No. 22131 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010488072026
the period from 2013 to 2015
when the petitioner had got
admitted/enrolled and
completed her course in MA
(History) and as such, the KSOU
is not under an obligation to
issue a genuineness certificate in
favour of the petitioner is
concerned, it is relevant to state
that the conduct of the KSOU in
holding out and representing
that it was entitled to
enroll/admit the petitioner as a
student to MA course and its
subsequent conduct in not only
permitting the petitioner to
complete the course
successfully, but also by issuing
marks cards/sheets in favour of
the petitioner, who had
undisputedly relied upon and
utilized the same for the
purpose of obtaining
employment in Government PU
College is sufficient to come to
the conclusion that the KSOU is
estopped by the principles of
promissory estoppel, in as much
as the KSOU specifically
promised, held out and
represented to the petitioner
that the MA course conducted by
it was legal, valid and proper
and also issued marks
card/sheet in favour of the
petitioner and the genuineness
certificate sought for by the
petitioner was merely/also an
additional document in this
regard, which the KSOU was

- 6 -
HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:56705
WP No. 22131 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010488072026
bound to issue having regard to
its conduct in favour of the
petitioner and as such, this
contention urged by respondent
No.1-KSOU cannot be accepted.
12. In view of the aforesaid facts
and circumstances, I am of the
view that the present petition
deserves to be allowed and
necessary directions be issued
to respondent Nos.1 and 4 in
this regard.”
13. Admittedly, in the instant
case, petitioner has passed the
MBA from the erstwhile
Academic Collaborative
Institution. The issue involved in
this case is squarely covered by
the order passed by a Co-
ordinate Bench of this Court.
Hence, in view of the finding
recorded by the Co-ordinate
Bench in the aforesaid writ
petition, I proceed to pass the
following:
ORDER
(i) Writ petition is allowed.
(ii) The impugned order –
Annexure-D is hereby quashed.
(iii) The respondent – University is
directed to verify the marks card
in respect of the MBA degree,
from the Registration
No.121952MBA073 and if the
marks card is genuine, then issue
Genuineness Certificate in the
name of the petitioner and send
the same to respondent No.3,
within a period of eight weeks

- 7 -
HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:56705
WP No. 22131 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010488072026
from the date of receipt of a copy
of this order.
(iv) In the meanwhile, the
respondents are directed not to
take any coercive action against
the petitioner."
4. In light of the same, the present petition
is allowed. Respondent No.1 to verify marks card and
Degree Certificate, the details of which are furnished
in the writ petition and to issue Genuineness
Certificate and send a copy to the petitioner and
forward the same to respondent No.4/College. Such
process should be completed within a period of eight
(8) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this
order."
5. Accordingly, respondent No.1 to verify
the marks card and the Degree Certificate, details of
which are furnished and to issue Genuineness
Certificate as per procedure after due verification and
send a copy of the same to the petitioner. Such
process to be completed within a period of eight (8)
weeks from the date of receipt of copy of this order.
Accordingly, the petition is disposed of".
4. Insofar as the prayer made by the petitioner to
direct respondent No.1 to issue Degree/Convocation
Certificate is concerned, the respondents to verify the

- 8 -
HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:56705
WP No. 22131 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010488072026
records and issue Degree/Convocation Certificate as per
the procedure. Such furnishing of documents and
issuance of Genuineness Certificate to be made within a
period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of copy of
this order.
5 . Accordingly, the respondent No.1 is directed to
issue Degree/Convocation Certificate to the petitioner as
well as verify the Marks Card in respect of BCA and MCA
Degrees obtained from it bearing Registration Numbers
0923LBCA14 and 12422LMCA526 during the year
2009-2011, 2012-2015 respectively and also issue
Genuineness Certificate to the petitioner with respect to
the Courses referred to above.
Accordingly, the petition is disposed of.
Sd/-
(S SUNIL DUTT YADAV)
JUDGE
VGR