No Name On Voter List After SIR, No Govt Benefits? CM DK Shivakumar's Big Warning

Last Updated:June 20, 2026, 09:04 IST

Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar says only registered voters will get welfare benefits like Gruha Jyothi, orders crackdown on irregularities and protection of genuine beneficiaries

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said only those whose names are included in the electoral rolls would be entitled to benefits under government welfare schemes, while stressing that no deserving beneficiary should suffer because of the move.

Chairing a review meeting at the Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar announced that the Gruha Jyothi scheme, which provides 200 units of free electricity to households, would be available only to registered voters. He urged citizens to verify that their names remain on the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

“Only voters whose names are in the electoral roll will be beneficiaries of government schemes. Therefore, during the Special Intensive Revision, beneficiaries should ensure that their names are not left out," he said.

At the same time, the chief minister underscored the need to protect genuine beneficiaries from inconvenience. “Not a single eligible beneficiary should face any hardship. Our focus should only be on stopping ineligible beneficiaries and preventing misuse of the schemes."

The state’s five guarantee schemes include Gruha Jyothi, which offers 200 units of free power to households; Gruha Lakshmi, under which women heads of families receive Rs 2,000; Anna Bhagya, which provides 10 kg of rice every month to each member of BPL families; Yuva Nidhi, which gives Rs 3,000 to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 to unemployed diploma holders aged between 18 and 25 for two years; and Shakti, which allows women in Karnataka to travel free in non-luxury state-run buses.

During the meeting, concerns were raised about people who had moved from other states but were still availing benefits under Gruha Jyothi. Addressing the issue, the chief minister said, “Our state’s schemes should benefit only beneficiaries of Karnataka. We have found that voters from other states are receiving these benefits. This must be stopped."

Officials also pointed to alleged irregularities in welfare disbursements, including the misuse of Unified Payments Interface accounts and transfers to bank accounts located outside Karnataka. Shivakumar directed officials to stop such transactions and ensure that benefits remain confined within the state.

The Auditor General’s report, which was reviewed during the meeting, highlighted cases in which payments under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme were routed through a single bank account for multiple beneficiaries. According to the findings, nearly Rs 60 crore had been released through around three lakh instalments.

Shivakumar also referred to instances where beneficiaries had switched bank accounts after loan repayments were automatically adjusted using Gruha Lakshmi funds. “Many beneficiaries have taken bank loans. As soon as the Gruha Lakshmi amount is credited, it gets adjusted towards loan repayment, and some have changed their accounts. Such beneficiaries should not face inconvenience," he added.

The chief minister further noted that payments had continued even after the death of some beneficiaries. “It has come to light that payments are being made even to deceased beneficiaries. This should not happen," he said, while instructing officials to maintain real-time updates of records.

He also directed that beneficiaries be informed through automated voice messages whenever Gruha Lakshmi payments are credited.

The review meeting also assessed the progress of the government’s flagship schemes. By the end of May, women had undertaken 763 crore free journeys under the Shakti scheme, with the value of tickets estimated at ₹20,047.69 crore. Around one million free bus passes are expected to be issued to students during the 2026-27 academic year.

Under Gruha Jyothi, 16.5 million consumers have benefited from free electricity. Between July 2023 and December 2024, the government transferred ₹11,561.05 crore under Anna Bhagya through Direct Benefit Transfer, covering more than 720.2 million beneficiary instances, while an additional 5 kg of rice continues to be distributed every month to 44.4 million beneficiaries.

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