One toilet for 1,750 patients, no emergency doctors in Bengaluru’s KC General Hospital
Lokayukta surprise inspection reveals
Bengaluru: A surprise inspection by the Lokayukta on Friday uncovered severe violations and shortcomings at KC General Hospital, a government-run healthcare facility in Bengaluru.
The investigation, led by Lokayukta Justice BS Patil and Upa Lokayuktas B Veerappa and KN Phaneendra, exposed troubling lapses, including the admission of a pregnant woman last week only after staff allegedly accepted a bribe. Despite serving a daily footfall of 1,500 to 1,750 patients, the hospital had just one functional toilet.
The checks followed persistent complaints from the public and secret probes. Reports indicate that there were no proper drinking water units or hot water for postpartum women. Doctors were found arriving late for duty. By 10:00 a.m., only one doctor was present, although five were scheduled to start work at 9:00 a.m.
Patients alleged that doctors routinely prescribed medicines to be purchased from outside pharmacies, even though they were available within the hospital.
The inspection also found severe shortage in staff, with only three patients admitted to the hospital’s 10 special rooms due to a lack of personnel.
Additional lapses included the ECG machine in the pregnancy ward and a ventilator in the Child Intensive Care Unit not working. The team also found substandard medicines being administered and the absence of emergency ABG medications.
Furthermore, the hospital has reportedly violated several protocols, including improper maintenance of attendance and cash registers and failure to dispose of expired medicines. The Lokayukta has summoned the hospital’s medical superintendent and other officials for questioning regarding these violations.
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Karnataka Governor gives assent to legislation against ‘honour killing’ in inter-caste marriages
Bengaluru: The government has brought into force the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of honour and tradition (Eva Nammava Eva Nammava) Act, 2026, intended to restrict ‘honour killings’ in inter-caste marriages.
According to The Indian Express, the legislation received assent from Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on April 9 and was officially notified in the state gazette on April 10. The law had been passed unanimously by the state legislature last month.
The Bill was proposed by the Congress government in the wake of caste-linked ‘honour killings’ in the state, including the December 21, 2025, murder near Hubli of a 20-year-old Lingayat woman by her father for marrying a man from another caste.
The phrase ‘Eva Nammava Eva Nammava’ in the title is in reference to the message of universal humanity that the Lingayat saint Basavanna espoused. Basavanna, who rebelled against the caste system to lay the foundation of the Lingayat faith system, an amalgamation of all castes, used the words meaning ‘he is a part of me’ to say all people are one.
Under the new law, crimes committed in the name of ‘honour’, including murder, assault, threats, and social boycott, are specifically addressed with stringent punishments. ‘Honour killing’ offences carry a minimum imprisonment of five years, while serious assaults attract at least three years in jail.
The new law defines the social boycott of inter-caste couples as forcible eviction to remote corners of villages, refusal to provide services, refusal to provide work, refusal to conduct business, denial of loans and admissions to schools, and makes it punishable.
In the case of ‘honour killings’ per se, the new law prescribes a minimum imprisonment of five years, and in the case of assaults, a prison term that is not less than three years for serious injury and two years for minor injuries.
The offences under the proposed law are cognisable and non-bailable, which means police can carry out arrests without court permissions after taking up a case.
The legislation follows several reported inter-caste relationship-related killings in Karnataka in 2025, including cases in Raichur and another involving 18-year-old Kavita.
The law to protect the freedom of choice in marriages is among several social bills that the Congress government has brought out in line with its policies for the backward and downtrodden communities in the state.
