Dasara 2025: Activists seek financial records

‘DC’s Office transferred RTI application to 15 Dasara Sub-Committees; still no response’

Mysuru: The Mysuru Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) Office does not have the complete accounts, payment records or audit report of the 2025 Dasara festival, alleged activists.

Addressing a press conference at the Pathrakarthara Bhavan yesterday, software engineer and social activist Vidwath said, even Gold Pass holders were unable to watch the Jumboo Savari procession from inside the Mysore Palace premises last year.

A week after the procession, Vidwath filed an RTI application seeking details of seating arrangements, ticket and pass distribution, gate management and contractors. However, he said no reply had been received so far.

According to Vidwath, the DC’s Office does not have the complete financial accounts, contractor records, vendor payment details or audit report.

“Public money must be accounted for. Even the distribution of passes lacked transparency. Under Section 4(1)(b) of the RTI Act, 2005, the Government is required to proactively disclose information relating to administration and the use of public funds,” he said.

RTI application

Advocate Ravikumar also filed an RTI application on Apr. 29, 2026. Instead of providing the information, the DC’s Office transferred his application to 15 different Dasara Sub-Committees, he said.

With Dasara-2026 approaching, they demanded that the District Administration provide clear answers on the financial management and distribution of passes during last year’s festival.

Ravikumar questioned how public money was being monitored if the DC’s Office did not have the complete financial records, final accounts and audit report of Dasara-2025.

Need for accountability

The multi-crore expenditure on the festival has raised doubts about possible misuse of funds, he said, adding that such doubts could be cleared only by making the official records public.

“There should be no situation where accounts are missing. If the accounts exist, why hesitate to present them?” he asked.

He also raised questions over the absence of clearly defined criteria for distributing VIP and Gold Passes for the Jumboo Savari and Torchlight Parade. According to him, the Public Information Officer had stated that there were no specific criteria.

Gold Passes criteria

“If there are no criteria, on what basis were thousands of passes distributed? Whose recommendations or influence determined the allocation? How many passes were printed, how many were issued, how many remained and what happened to the unused passes? What were the eligibility norms for recipients? The District Administration must answer these questions,” he demanded.

The activists also sought an investigation into the financial transactions to determine whether any irregularities had occurred. If public money was misused, those responsible should be identified and action taken, they said.

They urged the Karnataka Lokayukta to take suo motu cognisance of the matter and conduct an impartial inquiry.

BJP Spokesperson P.C. Mohan Kumar and Mysuru Rakshana Vedike President M.K. Prem Kumar were also present.