No Name On Voter List After SIR, No Govt Benefits? CM DK Shivakumar's Big Warning
No Name On Voter List After SIR, No Govt Benefits? CM DK Shivakumar's Big Warning Published By, Last Updated: June 20, 2026, 09:04 IST Karnataka
No Name On Voter List After SIR, No Govt Benefits? CM DK Shivakumar's Big Warning Published By, 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 Rapid Read Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said the results reflected overwhelming support for the party and its welfare schemes. (File) 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.
