GAYATRI BALACHANDAR Vs. KARNATAKA EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This petition is filed seeking a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, directing the respondents to consider the representation of the petitioner produced at Annexure-G dated 19.07.2019 and pass appropriate orders thereon permitting the petitioner to take part in the UG NEET-2019 Counselling under 'NRI' Ward category.

(2.) It is the case of the petitioner-Gayatri Balachandar that, she has completed her PUC and has qualified in NEET-UG 2019 conducted by the National Testing Agency and she is eligible for admission to under Graduate Medical/Dental Courses in Karnataka. She has submitted her online application for participating in UG NEET - 2019 conducted by Karnataka Examination Authority ('KEA' for short). But, while submitting on-line application, she did not have the relevant document for claiming seat under 'NRI Quota' and even she was not aware of the procedure for claiming NRI Ward Category Status, and as such, she was under a bona fide impression that, such details have to be submitted at a later stage, and therefore, she could not claim the 'NRI' status. Therefore, while applying on-line she entered 'No' in the column relating to NRI Ward Category. Such being the case, at the time of document verification by KEA, she was informed that she cannot be considered as a candidate under 'NRI Ward Category', since she has not claimed the same while submitting online application. In spite of the request of the petitioner to the respondent-KEA to consider her name under the NRI Ward category and accept the NRI documents submitted by her, the respondent- KEA has refused to accept the same. Even, the petitioner submitted a representation on 19.07.2019 to the respondent-KEA requesting to consider her case under NRI Ward Category, but the said authority has refused to receive the same. Therefore, the petitioner having no other alternate, has approached this court by this petition for appropriate direction to the respondent- KEA Authority, in this regard.

(3.) We have heard the learned counsels appearing on both sides.