Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday, 9 July announced that the state government will install CCTV cameras in front of hundis (donation boxes) in all temples administered by the Muzrai Department, citing alleged irregularities in the handling of devotee donations at the Ram Mandir. The announcement, made at a press conference in Belagavi following the Belagavi Division Progress Review Meeting at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, is expected to trigger a sharp political debate in the state.

What the Surveillance System Will Cover

Under the proposed framework, CCTV coverage will extend beyond the donation boxes themselves to encompass all locations where funds are collected, opened, and counted. Shivakumar said the footage will be linked directly to the offices of the Superintendent of Police and the Deputy Commissioner to ensure end-to-end accountability.

'The irregularities reported in connection with the Ram Mandir have hurt the sentiments of devotees. People made donations with faith, but the funds were allegedly misused in the name of religion. Therefore, our government has decided to make CCTV surveillance mandatory in front of hundis in all temples under the Muzrai Department,' Shivakumar said.

The Ram Mandir Trigger

The decision follows reported concerns over the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram Mandir, which the Chief Minister said had eroded devotee trust. The Muzrai Department oversees a large number of Hindu religious and charitable endowments across Karnataka, making this a significant administrative intervention. Notably, any government oversight of temple finances in the state tends to draw scrutiny from Hindu organisations and opposition parties who have long argued that temples deserve the same financial autonomy granted to other religious institutions.

CAG Report and Guarantee Scheme Irregularities

Separately, Shivakumar addressed findings from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, which reportedly flagged alleged misuse of the state's flagship welfare schemes. He acknowledged that hundreds of crores of rupees had allegedly been disbursed in the names of deceased persons under the Gruha Lakshmi and Gruha Jyothi schemes, and said the government was conducting a fresh beneficiary verification exercise.

'We will not discontinue any of the guarantee schemes under any circumstances. Every eligible beneficiary will continue to receive the benefits. None of the programmes approved during Siddaramaiah's government will be stopped,' he asserted, clarifying that the verification was aimed solely at weeding out fraudulent claims.

Electoral Roll Revision and Voting Rights

The Chief Minister also spoke on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating that the government has issued guidelines to safeguard the voting rights of eligible citizens. He said residence certificates would be issued to those who have lived in a locality for 10 years, and that 4.50 crore caste certificates have been made available for download. Assistance centres will be established at every polling booth to help citizens complete the required formalities.

The CCTV surveillance move now awaits implementation timelines from the Muzrai Department, with political reactions from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other groups expected in the coming days.