K’taka cabinet discusses SIR, vows to protect voting rights

Bengaluru, May 21 (IANS) Karnataka Law and Tourism Minister H.K. Patil on Thursday said the state government would make every possible effort to protect the voting rights of citizens if any process unnecessarily deprived them of their franchise.

Addressing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Patil said extensive discussions were held regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka.

He alleged that the SIR process had led to the deletion of voting rights of nearly 27 lakh people in states such as West Bengal and raised concerns over the transparency and implementation of the exercise.

“If any process unnecessarily deprives a citizen of his or her voting rights, the government will consider taking all possible measures to safeguard that right,” Patil said.

The minister said the cabinet discussed alleged irregularities, shortcomings, and serious objections surrounding the SIR process.

He added that the government was also considering approaching the Supreme Court over the issue.

“There is a need for more detailed discussions regarding the final electoral roll, the SIR process, and its transparency. A decision on the matter will be taken shortly,” he said.

Patil, while briefing the media on the key decisions taken during the Karnataka cabinet meeting held on May 21, 2026, stated that administrative approval was granted for the construction of a new 200-bed super-speciality hospital building at the Karwar Institute of Medical Sciences campus at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore.

Under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), the Cabinet approved the procurement of pre-school education kits for 69,922 anganwadi centres at a unit cost of Rs 3,000, with a total estimated expenditure of Rs 20.98 crore, he stated.

Minister Patil said: "Under the Karnataka State Higher Education Transformation (KSHET) project assisted by the Asian Development Bank, the Cabinet approved advance procurement of materials worth Rs 802 crore for 53 government degree colleges, polytechnics, 14 government centres of excellence, and the Project Management Unit (PMU), in accordance with the loan negotiation preparedness norms of the Union Finance Ministry’s Department of Economic Affairs."

The Cabinet approved a Rs 15 crore programme to provide two years of residential PU education in the science stream along with NEET/JEE/CET coaching for 500 backward class students.

The students will be selected from among those studying in government schools who secured the highest marks in mathematics and science subjects in the Class 10 board examinations, with 15 students selected from each district, he stated.

Regarding the appointment of the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was attended by Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka, Legislative Council Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, and the Home Minister.

Retired High Court judge Justice P.N. Desai was selected as the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, Minister Patil said.

Minister H.K. Patil clarified that there was no discussion regarding the monsoon session of the legislature during the Cabinet meeting.

In accordance with the order dated March 16, 2026, passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal in the case, the Cabinet decided to place before it, after legal scrutiny, the proposal to consider promotion of KAS officer Sushilamma N. and three others to the IAS cadre.