Elaborate security and traffic management arrangements have been put in place for the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Minister at Lok Bhavan on Wednesday (June 3), with the Bengaluru City Police working in close coordination with the traffic police to ensure smooth conduct of the event and maintain law and order.

City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said that extensive security measures have been implemented in accordance with the protocol issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR).

Limited capacity

Given the limited seating capacity at the venue, entry has been restricted strictly to invited guests. Passes have already been issued to VIPs, VVIPs and other categorised invitees, and security deployment has been planned accordingly. The Commissioner also clarified that there will be no roadshow associated with the swearing-in ceremony.

Senior police officials said additional police platoons and reserve force companies have been deployed across the central parts of the city to ensure comprehensive security coverage. Surveillance arrangements include monitoring through an extensive network of CCTV cameras, LED screens and drones to keep track of crowd movement and any security-related developments in real time.

Traffic advisory

Traffic restrictions and diversions will be enforced on select roads surrounding the venue to facilitate the movement of dignitaries and security convoys. On certain stretches, access will be limited to pedestrians during the event as part of the security protocol.

To help manage crowds and enable public viewing of the ceremony, LED screens have been installed at designated locations. Police personnel familiar with the local area, along with specialised VIP security teams, have been deployed at key points. Senior officers will oversee the arrangements and continuously monitor the situation to ensure the swearing-in ceremony is conducted smoothly, safely and without any untoward incidents.

No-fly zone

Bengaluru City Police have declared a temporary no-fly zone around the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office and Hotel Shangri-La in the city ahead of the visit of Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on June 3.

City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh issued the order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), prohibiting the operation of drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), glider aircraft, small aircraft and non-scheduled aircraft within a one-km radius of the two locations.

Mr. Gandhi is scheduled to attend programmes at the KPCC office and stay at Hotel Shangri-La during his visit to Bengaluru. According to the order, the temporary no-fly zone will remain in force during the specified period of the visit. The restriction covers all drone and low-flying aircraft operations within the designated radius around the KPCC office and the hotel.

Speaker U.T. Khader said here on Tuesday (June 2, 2026) that the Congress high command has so far not asked him to join the new Cabinet to be headed by D.K. Shivakumar.

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Khader said if the party wants him to continue as Speaker he will continue to do so.

“If I am asked to work as minister in the new Cabinet or continue as an MLA, I am happy to do so. I will act as per the directions of Congress high command,” he said.

Speaker may resign

However, people close to Mr. Khader said he is set to tender his resignation to the post of Speaker and join the new cabinet on Wednesday (June 3). Mr. Khader is set leave for Bengaluru from Mangaluru on June 2 evening. Since Monday (June 1), party workers and Mr. Khader’s admirers have been meeting and congratulating him after hearing that he is among the ministers to be sworn-in on June 3.

Asked about controversy surrounding the audio tape purportedly related to minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, over sabotaging the prospects of the Congress candidate in the recently held Assembly bypolls in Davangere, clearing his (Mr. Khader’s) way into the new Cabinet as a representative from the minority community, Mr. Khader said there is no competition between him and Mr. Khan on becoming ministers in the new Cabinet.

Mr. Khader said becoming a minister helps in doing works related to people in a more effective way. As a Speaker, he works more for the legislators. “While working as a Speaker, I have ensured to work for people of my (Mangaluru Assembly) constituency and take up development projects. When in my constituency, people forget that I am in the post of Speaker, which comes with a set of protocols,” he said.

After multiple surveys proved futile and attempts by families to establish their identity yielded no progress, residents whose houses were demolished in parts of Fakir Colony and Waseem Layout in Kogilu Layout, Yelahanka, in December have decided to approach a retired judge and submit their documents for an independent review of their claims, as many continue to remain without shelter more than five months later.

The houses were razed by government authorities, who claimed that the families had encroached on government land. The demolition resulted in close to 160 houses being demolished.

However, following criticism from CPI(M) leader and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the State government intervened. Ministers, including Housing and Minority Welfare Minister, B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan had assured that eligible families would be allotted houses in Byappanahalli in January. However, even as of March, only 29 families had been provided houses.

Speaking to The Hindu, the families and the NGO working with them said they remain stuck because one section claims that everyone had lived there for more than 20 years, while another claims that nobody had lived there for less than five years. They contend that neither claim reflects the reality, as over 20 families were living there for more than 15 years, while many came in and settled in between.

Members of the Fakir community, NGO representatives said, have been living there for many years, while several other families claimed the same had not. The NGOs point to surveys done by them for families of fakirs spanning years, which record their presence.

While satellite images show a small pond in the area in pictures generated five years back, many families still maintain that they had been residing there for over 20 years.

Residents said the confusion stemmed largely from the involvement of caste leaders, one representing Dalits and another representing Muslims, who initially claimed they could secure houses for the families, allegedly collected ₹2 lakh from each family, and later instructed them to maintain that they had been living there for many years. 

Families who lost their homes said they are uneducated and followed the advice of their caste leaders as they trusted them. “Many documents were lost during the demolition. We submitted whatever documents remained during the Housing Department survey, hoping that houses would be allotted to us. It has been more than five months, but there is still no clarity on when we will receive them,” a resident said. Families also said they have decided not to move elsewhere under any circumstances, fearing that even the tents they currently occupy may be removed. 

The families are being asked to furnish as many as six documents by various departments involved in the housing allotment process, The Hindu has learnt. These include income certificates, voter IDs, ration cards, bank details, and other supporting records. A mass documentation drive has also been started recently, under which NGOs and activists are helping families obtain and verify documents. Once this process is completed, the families plan to approach a retired judge and present the documents in an effort to substantiate their claims. 

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is not aimed at deletions, said Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbu Kumar, adding, “SIR is aimed at inclusion. It is aimed at purifying rolls, to get clear, pure electoral data.”

The CEO hosted a media workshop ahead of the SIR rollout in the State on Wednesday, where he highlighted how activities would be carried out and explained the schedule.

He said the State was on top in mapping nationwide, and assured that it would do well in the areas currently lagging in voter mapping exercise as days remain before SIR is rolled out.

As of Wednesday, the State has crossed 88% in electoral, including progeny mapping, he said.

Recently, the Congress government had raised concerns over possible deletions in districts with high migration and allegations were made by civil society groups that the SIR exercise is aimed at arbitrary, mass deletions. The CEO, however, said one should refer to Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines and added that he “doesn’t know and could not comment on the future of the electoral rolls”. 

However, he did not clarify media doubts regarding the purpose of the exercise, the issues that may arise if booth-level agents (BLAs) assigned by political parties misuse enumeration forms, if Booth Level Officers (BLOs) fail to map voters, or on the concerns consistently raised by BLOs themselves. The official maintained that the process is going as per the ECI guidelines. 

Addressing concerns regarding notices, the CEO said it will be served only in cases involving some “logical discrepancies”. However, he again did not clarify whether voters in the State should be prepared for an additional category of “logical discrepancy” to emerge as part of the exercise. 

On BLAs misusing details from the enumeration form, Mr. Kumar said BLAs are trusted individuals chosen by political parties and that they would be entrusted with collecting enumeration forms from electors.

However, when the media questioned whether this could go wrong or whether any changes had been made to ensure only BLOs collect forms and not BLAs, especially after the West Bengal SIR exercise allegedly led to mass disenfranchisement, the CEO dismissed the concerns. “Voters know everything. You may dismiss their knowledge and think they are not aware. They are well informed. Even in rural districts, villagers function like families; they know everything,” he said. 

As of Wednesday, the CEO said a total of 69,944 BLAs had been appointed. These include 36,213 by the Congress, 31,115 by the BJP and 2,616 by the JD(S).

On the notices being served, he said, “The notices, if sent, are only to clear some communication gaps. If enumeration forms are submitted, then names will appear in the draft electoral roll.”

He added that there would be two forms — one for the voter to retain and the other to be submitted back to the BLO or even BLA. Each form would also carry a QR code to directly help BLOs identify voters. “That’s the beauty of this form,” he said. 

He also clarified that in cases involving objections and claims, Deputy Commissioners and CEO would act as both the appellate authority as well as competent authority.

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh visited the Chamundeshwari Temple in Mysuru on Tuesday (May 26, 2026) and offered apologies to the deity, in keeping with his assurance to the Karnataka High Court.

The Dhurandhar star’s visit to the temple follows his written apology to the High Court for “mocking” the sacred daiva tradition depicted in the film Kantara Chapter-1. 

Mr. Singh reached the hill shrine early in the morning before the devotees started arriving. “He came unannounced without intimating us. He came wearing a mask like any ordinary devotee when not many people were around,” said Executive Officer of Chamundeshwari Temple M.J. Roopa.

The actor, who turned up at the shrine around 7.30 a.m., introduced himself to the temple priest Sunil and informed him that he had come to offer apologies to the deity. The priest led him to the Garbha Gudi (sanctum sanctorum), where he offered special prayers, she added.

Mr. Singh left the shrine soon after he finished the prayers. “He had left the premises even before the devotees began showing up,” Ms Roopa added.

Why did Ranveer Singh visit Chamundeshwari Temple?

The controversy relates to remarks allegedly made by the actor at the Filmfare Awards event in Goa while speaking about the film Kantara Chapter-1. He is accused of imitating a Daiva and calling it ‘devil’.

Based on a complaint by a lawyer, who alleged that his religious sentiments were hurt, an FIR was registered against the Dhurandhar actor.

The High Court on May 5, 2026, had quashed the proceedings against Mr. Singh after the actor’s submission of an unconditional apology.

Accepting the revised affidavit submitted by his advocate, the court had directed the actor to visit the Chamundi deity within four weeks. asked to make amends for his conduct.

The Karnataka government has given a go ahead to the managing committee of the Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple in Dakshina Kannada district to execute several ancillary works to complement the ₹604.65 crore Phase III master plan works.

These ancillary works are estimated to cost ₹7.42 crore to be borne through the temple funds, Karnataka Minister for Transport and Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department, Ramalinga Reddy said. While seven works would be executed by the Public Works Department (PWD) under deposit-mode, four (public toilet blocks) would be executed by the temple committee itself by inviting tenders and five would be executed through the Dakshina Kannada Nirmithi Kendra.

The works to be executed through PWD at an estimated cost of ₹294.85 lakh include concreting the new bypass from Arampady bus stand to Arampady, construction of culvert, link road and concreting the road from Eddoli to Arampady, laying interlock and constructing shoulder drains on the road connecting Police Chowki and Devaragadde, laying interlock and construction of shoulder drain on the road connecting Temple North Gate to Anantha Choultry, laying interlock and construction of culvert on the road connecting KSRTC bus stand and Bank of Baroda bypass road and laying interlock on the balance stretch of Devaragadde Road.

Public Toilets

The Cabinet has approved construction of four public toilet blocks in the temple to ensure hygiene in the town that witnesses thousands of footfalls of devotees from across the country.

One block would come up near Anagha Choultry at Adi Subrahmanya Temple at an estimated cost of ₹47.2 lakh while another would be built near the KSRTC Bus Stand at a cost of ₹47.7 lakh. The Kumaradhara Bathing Ghat where devotees undertake the holy bath would get a toilet block at ₹46.65 lakh cost and another toilet block woudlbe constructed near near Bandimala at a cost of ₹47.1 lakh. All these works would be executed by the Temple committee through tenders.

Go Shala

The Nirmithi Kendra would be entrusted with construction of a well-equipped Go Shala at Nakshatravana and refurbish the existing one at a cost of ₹82.45 lakh. Also interlock flooring (₹176 lakh) would be done on lands belonging to the Temple at four places by the Kendra.

Ancillary works to be undertaken at Kukke Subrahmanya

Source: Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department

The famed Nagaradhana Centre at Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple in Dakshina Kannada district, that witnesses more than one crore footfalls annually, will soon add at least one thousand more rooms for visiting devotees.

For this purpose, the temple administration is set to construct three choultry blocks, each at a cost of ₹60 crore, and two dormitory blocks, to cost ₹50 crore each, at Injadi, closer to the temple.

There was a dire need to augment accommodation for devotees as at present, only about 200 rooms operated by the temple administration were available to them, said Karnataka Minister for Transport and Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department Ramalinga Reddy.

Mr. Reddy told The Hindu that adding more accommodation was part of the Master Plan Phase III for the development of facilities at Subrahmanya at an estimated cost of ₹604.65 crore, cleared recently by the State Cabinet. The temple has enough funds in deposits to undertake the works, he said.

Master Plan Phase III for Kukke Subrahmanya’s development

Source: Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department

Seva complexes

Thousands of devotees throng Kukke Subrahmanya from across the country to perform three important rituals — Sarpa Samskara, Naga Pratishthe and Ashlesha Bali. Initially, all the three sevas were being performed inside the temple complex only.

A few years back, a separate Yaga Shala was constructed for Sarpa Samskara Seva that needed more space while Naga Pratishthe and Ashlesha Bali continued to be performed inside the temple. Under the new Master Plan, the cabinet has approved construction of three more Yaga Shala complexes for Sarpa Samskara (₹16.4 crore) and one Ashlesha Bali Mantapa (₹9.5 crore) near the temple, Mr. Reddy said.

Temple surroundings

The plan also envisages renovation of the Suthu Pouli (outer peripheral wall) of the temple at an estimated cost of ₹32 crore. A new, ground plus two floor Anna Dasoha (dining hall) complex, that could feed at least 6,000 devotees at a time would be constructed at ₹77.25 crore cost, said Temple Executive Officer Aravinda Ayyappa Suthagundi.

The Ratha Beedi (Car Street) of the temple would be done afresh in a traditional style with unpolished granite flooring at a cost of ₹47.5 crore. A commercial complex-cum-choultry would be constructed on the left-hand side of the temple at a cost of ₹82 crore.

Mr. Reddy said the temple administration would also take care of its employees by way of providing residential quarters — three blocks each for Group C and D employees at a cost of ₹32.25 crore and ₹27.75 crore each.

In two years

The department has decided to get all these works executed by the Public Works Department itself. “Tenders will soon be floated and all the works will get completed within two years, during this government’s tenure itself,” Mr. Reddy said.

Karnataka is expected to fully implement the four labour codes from July 1. One of the major changes that could come under the wage code is in the way housing rent is calculated while fixing minimum wages, according to officials.

At present, housing rent is calculated as 10% of food and clothing expenditure. However, trade unions, which are included in the labour codes, have called for it to be based on actual market rents in ‘industrial’ zones, if not in all regions.

The new framework will replace 29 existing labour laws that currently deal with social security, working hours, retirement benefits and trade union rights. The Centre has already released the rules at the national level.

Many unions demanded that housing rent calculations under minimum wages be based on current rental rates in industrial areas. Union representatives pointed out that as Karnataka tracks the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for industrial workers across 16 centres, wage calculations should reflect the real rental conditions workers face in industrial clusters. 

Trade unions have also demanded changes in the rules for recognising unions. They said that if more than one union is competing for recognition, the decision should be made through a secret ballot instead of physical membership verification to make the process transparent and fair.

Another key demand is to retain the existing provisions related to the right to strike. Trade unions argued that the current labour codes make the ‘Right to Strike’ difficult and could make most strikes illegal. “We have urged the State government to retain the existing provisions governing strikes,” an AITUC member said.

According to the draft rules, a strike notice must be given to the employer and signed by the union secretary and five elected union representatives. Copies must also be sent to the conciliation officer, Labour Commissioner and the State government. The draft also says the notice should be backed by a resolution passed by a majority of workers who are union members. 

After strong objections from trade unions, which argued that the draft rules mirror the Centre’s framework without enough state-specific changes, the Labour Department formed four committees — one for each labour code — wages, social security, industrial relations, and occupational safety, health and working conditions (OSH) code.

Trade union members told The Hindu that while Labour Minister Santosh Lad was open to hearing their suggestions, some labour department officials were inclined towards industry interests on issues such as housing rent and secret ballot provisions. They said committees with union representation were formed after these concerns were raised with the Minister. 

The unions also criticised the Centre’s decision to remove the criteria for fixing minimum wages from the final rules, saying that these will be notified separately.

Additional Labour Commissioner G. Manjunath said four committees have been formed to review the four codes. He said trade unions had initially not given state-specific suggestions, but are now actively participating. He added that after the final review and considerations, Karnataka will notify its own rules.

Activists of All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) staged a fresh protest outside Crawford Hall in Mysuru on Wednesday, November 12, after a security guard was found dead in the premises of the Oriental Research Institute (ORI) of the University of Mysore early that morning.

The 50-year-old guard, identified as Sanjay, was found dead a day after the Karnataka United Security Workers’ Union, affiliated to AIUTUC, staged a demonstration in front of Crawford Hall, alleging irregularities by the private agency from which the University of Mysore had outsourced its security staff.

When Mr. Sanjay was found dead on the morning of November 12, AIUTUC alleged that the existing private agency was denying the security staff their right to a weekly off and forcing them to work on all days of the week like the previous private agency.

The protestors said Mr. Sanjay had worked for 11 days without a day’s off and his request for a day off was rejected by the supervisor of the private agency. Though they alleged that he had died due to work pressure, his family has reportedly denied that he was under such pressure.

The Karnataka United Security Workers’ Union, which held a demonstration on November 11, had submitted a memorandum to the Registrar of University of Mysore demanding an investigation by an “external agency” into the alleged irregularities by the private agencies.

The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India’s (CREDAI) Mysuru chapter will be organising a Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) workshop in the city on December 6, 2025.

A statement issued in Mysuru on behalf of CREDAI, Mysuru, said the RERA workshop seeks to create awareness among developers of residential layouts, builders, and other stakeholders in the real estate sector.

Senior officials from Karnataka RERA, Bengaluru, will participate in the workshop which will be held at Mysuru Builders’ Charitable Trust (MBCT) Hall in Vishveshwaranagar in the city.

The workshop is expected to throw light on the latest rules in the real estate sector, compliance procedures, and practical aspects of the RERA Act.

According to CREDAI, Mysuru, senior officials from Karnataka RERA, Bengaluru, will participate in the event and provide guidance on the registration process for ongoing and new projects under RERA, project extensions, and compliance measures, besides creating awareness about customer grievance redressal procedures and common challenges faced by builders and the possible solutions.

CREDAI, Mysuru, has been working to promote transparency and accountability in the implementation of the RERA law, the statement said, before adding that the programme will provide an interactive platform for builders and developers to engage directly with RERA officials and get answers to their queries.

The programme is scheduled to begin at 4.30 p.m. on December 6 at the MBCT Hall and interested persons can contact mobile number ‘9945147472’.