SHIVAMOGGA: Three officials from the revenue department in the district, including an assistant commissioner and a tahsildar, received a total of Rs 9.65 lakh as temple festival bonuses despite not being eligible for the payments, the state government has told to the Legislative Assembly.
The government said the payments came into flash following a report submitted by the deputy commissioner on July 24. The officials identified were Shivamogga Assistant Commissioner N G Satyanarayana, who received Rs 2.84 lakh; Thirthahalli tahsildar S Ranjith, who received Rs 4.25 lakh; and Deepak S, a second division assistant handling Muzrai matters at the Thirthahalli tahsildar's office, who received Rs 2.55 lakh.
The disclosure was made in a written reply to an unstarred question raised by Thirthahalli MLA Araga Jnanendra in the Assembly. The reply was issued by Minister for Muzrai K S Basavanthappa.
Under Section 36 of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997, temple employees can draw salaries and allowances from temple funds after the temple's budget is approved, the government said. A government order issued on May 7, 2015, had also permitted employees working during temple fairs, festivals and special religious occasions at notified Hindu religious institutions to receive a monthly salary as a festival bonus. The order extended the benefit to government officials and employees and temple staff deputed to other offices.
However, the government said the order was withdrawn through orders dated July 28 and August 3, 2026, after it came to light that ineligible officials from the revenue department had received the festival bonus and that temple funds had been misused. Following this case, the government directed the deputy commissioner on August 3 to initiate appropriate disciplinary action against the three revenue officials for accepting the bonus without verifying the relevant government order.
Deepak S has already been transferred, the government said.
The Commissioner of Religious Endowments has also asked the deputy commissioner to conduct a comprehensive special audit of the temple accounts for the past three years. The audit report has been sought urgently. The government said further action would be taken against the officials found to have received festival bonuses or special pay despite being ineligible, after the audit report is received.