A new RTI reply has raised serious questions about how public money is being spent at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha (SVS) in Belagavi.
Activist Bhimappa Gadad has demanded full clarity from the government and warned that he may take legal action if such spending continues.
At a press conference in Belagavi, Gadad said the RTI documents show “unnecessary and excessive expenses” on furniture and paintings inside the SVS.
What the RTI Revealed
₹42,93,940 spent to make a new chair and table for the Legislative Assembly Speaker.
₹1,98,240 spent to repair and upgrade the Legislative Council Speaker’s chair.
A huge ₹67,67,964 spent on 11 new oil portraits of Anubhav Mantap personalities, plus one more painting, all created by well-known artists.
Gadad said this spending is even higher than the ₹36,60,000 spent in 2011 on furniture for the President’s visit during the SVS inauguration.
Issues With the Paintings
Gadad also pointed out problems in the approval process:
On February 27, 2023, the government approved ₹13,34,564 for seven portraits (8×5 ft) by top state artists.
But on October 25, 2025, the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad reported that many portraits did not resemble the people they were supposed to show.
After this, the government released another ₹28,49,200 to redo the paintings.
