(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-F 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-Gaddipati Dharma Teja that, he has completed His Intermediate from Telangala and has qualified in NEET-UG 2019 conducted by the National Testing Agency and he is eligible for admission to under Graduate Medical/Dental Courses in Karnataka. He has submitted his online application for participating in UG NEET - 2019 conducted by Karnataka Examination Authority ('KEA' for short). But, while submitting on-line application, since he did not have the relevant document for claiming seat under the Ward Status of 'NRI' and even he was not aware of the procedure for claiming NRI Ward Category Status, he was under a bona fide impression that, such details have to be submitted at a later stage, and as such, he could not claim the 'NRI' status. Therefore, while applying on-line he entered 'No' in the column relating to NRI Ward Category. Such being the case, at the time of document verification by KEA, the petitioner was informed that he cannot be considered as a candidate under 'NRI Ward Category', since he has not claimed the same while submitting online application. In spite of the request of the petitioner to the respondent-KEA to consider his name under the NRI Ward category and accept the NRI document submitted by him, 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 his 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.