Karnataka restricts supply of food, clothing, bedding from private sources to prisoners
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued fresh regulations restricting the supply of food, clothing and bedding to civil prisoners and unconvicted criminal (under trial) prisoners from private sources, citing prison security, safety, staff shortage, overcrowding and health concerns.
According to a circular issued by the Prisons and Correctional Services Department on January 23, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 30 of the Karnataka Prisons Act, 1963, cooked food will no longer be allowed to be brought into or supplied inside any prison from private sources to any civil and undertrial prisoners, either at the time of admission or during interviews.
Taking to social media 'X', DGP Prisons Alok Kumar said for the first time regulations framed regarding providing food, bedding and clothes to undertrial and civil prisoners.
"We are not allowing any cooked food from outside. Bangalore prison food is certified by FSSAI and is of good quality. Need to treat all UT prisoners equally," he added.
The regulations applicable to all prisons across the State shall come into effect immediately, the circular said.
While noting that adequate food, clothing and bedding are already being provided by the Prisons and Correctional Services Department as per existing laws and manuals, the circular said it has become necessary to regulate and restrict private supplies in the interest of security and administrative feasibility.
As per the new norms, only limited uncooked and packaged food items will be permitted from private sources, subject to thorough examination by prison authorities.
These include fresh fruits such as bananas, apples, mangoes and guava not exceeding two kilograms per person per week, dry fruits like almonds, cashews, walnuts and dried grapes up to half a kilogram, and bakery or confectionery items such as biscuits, cookies, namkeens and chips limited to half a kilogram.
No other food items will be allowed and the quantity of clothing that can be brought from private sources has also been restricted.
"Civil and undertrial prisoners will be allowed only two pairs of outer clothing and two pairs of inner garments, apart from the clothes worn at the time of admission. Any clothing found in excess of the prescribed quantity will be seized and confiscated," the circular said.
The circular clarified that since bedding is already provided by the Prison Department, no bedding from private sources will ordinarily be permitted. However, one additional blanket may be allowed on request, subject to security checks and availability of space. No other bedding items will be permitted.
All permitted items will be allowed subject to physical examination and security checks, and any prohibited or suspicious articles detected will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The circular said that these regulations shall be strictly enforced by all prison authorities.
"These regulations shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent contained in any earlier circulars, instructions or orders relating to the receipt of food, clothing or bedding from private sources," it added.
For the first time regulations framed regarding providing food,bedding & clothes to the Under Trial & Civil prisoners. We are not allowing any cooked food from outside. Bangalore prison food is certified by FSSAI and is of good quality.
— alok kumar (@alokkumar6994) January 24, 2026
Need to treat all UT prisoners equally pic.twitter.com/Cl7fvQrimr
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Trouble ‘Miyas’ everywhere only then they will leave Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Says “Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP are openly against them, we are saying it openly
New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that four to five lakh “Miya voters” would be removed from the electoral rolls in the state once the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is carried out. He also made a series of controversial remarks openly targeting the Miya community, a term commonly used in Assam in a derogatory sense to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official programme in Digboi in Tinsukia district, Sarma said it was his responsibility to create difficulties for the Miya community and claimed that both he and the BJP were “directly against Miyas”.
“Four to five lakh Miya votes will have to be deleted in Assam when the SIR happens,” Sarma said, adding that such voters “should ideally not be allowed to vote in Assam, but in Bangladesh”. He asserted that the government was ensuring that they would not be able to vote in the state.
The chief minister was responding to questions about notices issued to thousands of Bengali-speaking Muslims during the claims and objections phase of the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Assam. While the Election Commission is conducting SIR exercises in 12 states and Union Territories, Assam is currently undergoing an SR, which is usually meant for routine updates.
Calling the current SR “preliminary”, Sarma said that a full-fledged SIR in Assam would lead to large-scale deletion of Miya voters. He said he was unconcerned about criticism from opposition parties over the issue.
“Let the Congress abuse me as much as they want. My job is to make the Miya people suffer,” Sarma said. He claimed that complaints filed against members of the community were done on his instructions and that he had encouraged BJP workers to keep filing complaints.
“I have told people wherever possible they should fill Form 7 so that they have to run around a little and are troubled,” he said, adding that such actions were meant to send a message that “the Assamese people are still living”.
In remarks that drew further outrage, Sarma urged people to trouble members of the Miya community in everyday life, claiming that “only if they face troubles will they leave Assam”. He also accused the media of sympathising with the community and warned journalists against such coverage.
“So you all should also trouble, and you should not do news that sympathise with them. There will be love jihad in your own house.” He said.
The comments triggered reactions from opposition leaders. Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi said the people of Assam had not elected Sarma to keep one community under constant pressure. Congress leader Aman Wadud accused the chief minister of rendering the Constitution meaningless in the state, saying his remarks showed a complete disregard for constitutional values.
According to the draft electoral rolls published on December 27, Assam currently has 2.51 crore voters. Election officials said 4.78 lakh names were marked as deceased, 5.23 lakh as having shifted, and 53,619 duplicate entries were removed during the revision process. Authorities also claimed that verification had been completed for over 61 lakh households.
On January 25, six opposition parties the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(M-L) submitted a memorandum to the state’s chief electoral officer. They alleged widespread legal violations, political interference and selective targeting of genuine voters during the SR exercise, describing it as arbitrary, unlawful and unconstitutional.
