Bengaluru: An RTI reply has pointed to a Rs 1.7 crore difference in expenditure figures for the 11th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference hosted by the Karnataka legislature in September last year, with some details not reflected in official budget documents.
Participants included Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, presiding officers from various state legislatures and foreign representatives from Commonwealth countries.
Budget vs Expenditure
Supplementary budgets for 2025-26 show the state allocated Rs 13.6 crore for the two-day event, but expenditure records available account for only Rs 11.9 crore spent on delegates' stay, hospitality and gifts. When contacted, secretariat officials said: "A few things may have been left out. We are checking what it is."
Gifts for Delegates
Each delegate was presented with an iPad, a gold- and silver-plated Ganda Berunda insignia, a Mysuru silk saree, an HMT watch and a leather trolley bag.
Speaker UT Khader said: "We may have spent Rs 40.5 lakh on iPads, but our state products like Mysuru silk sarees, HMT watches and Lidkar leather bags are worth Rs 400 crore. These are quality products and have now gone to other states in the country as well as abroad with foreign delegates. Our intent was to ensure an unforgettable event for delegates and keep the state's prestige in high esteem."
RTI Findings
In reply to an RTI filed by Navin Kumar of Bengaluru-based Committee for Public Accountability, officials said 75 delegates received gift packages worth Rs 93,000 each. The items were procured and distributed by an event management firm, Laughing Water Production.
The iPads accounted for the highest expenditure at Rs 40.5 lakh, followed by HMT watches at Rs 22.7 lakh. Silk sarees purchased from KSIC cost Rs 13.7 lakh, while trolley bags sourced from Lidkar amounted to Rs 10 lakh.
Accommodation Costs
The RTI findings also detailed accommodation costs, with nearly Rs 1.3 crore spent at Taj West End, Rs 15.3 lakh at Radisson Blu and Rs 13.1 lakh at Lalit Ashok for delegates' stay. An additional Rs 3.5 lakh was incurred for housing officials at Kumara Krupa Guest House.
