Sixty-nine members of Karnataka’s Legislative Assembly have claimed ₹7,46,67,133, roughly ₹7.47 crore, in medical reimbursements for themselves and their families since the current term began, according to figures obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The details of Karnataka MLAs medical bills cover claims made between 20 May 2023 and 30 September 2026, and show a very wide spread: the biggest claimant is close to ₹1 crore, while the smallest is a few thousand rupees.
The data were obtained by social activist H M Venkatesh through an RTI application, and the Legislative Assembly Secretariat supplied the information. The claims are made under existing rules, and the records we reviewed do not suggest any claim was improper. What they raise is a question of public interest: how much of the legislators’ health costs are borne by the state, and how that compares with what ordinary citizens can access.
The figures at a glance
- Total claimed: ₹7,46,67,133 (about ₹7.47 crore) by 69 MLAs. Some descriptions of the data round this to ₹7.40 crore; we use the exact figure.
- Period: 20 May 2023 to 30 September 2026.
- Source: RTI reply from the Legislative Assembly Secretariat, on an application by H M Venkatesh.
- Who is covered: MLAs and their dependents.
- Our calculation: an average of about ₹10.8 lakh per claiming MLA (₹7.47 crore divided by 69).
Who claimed the most
The three largest claims together come to about ₹2.70 crore, or roughly 36% of the total by our calculation. They were:
- H K Suresh (BJP, Belur): ₹98,78,325
- K Harish Gowda (Congress, Chamaraja): ₹85,91,139
- Dr H D Ranganath (Congress, Kunigal): ₹85,02,261. He is himself a doctor.
Other notable claimants listed in the data include:
- Shamanur Shivashankarappa: ₹69.78 lakh
- S Suresh Kumar: ₹22.26 lakh
- K Gopalaiah: ₹21.05 lakh
- H D Revanna: ₹13.02 lakh
- Basavaraj Bommai, former chief minister: ₹10.45 lakh
- Araga Jnanendra: ₹10.21 lakh
- Laxman Savadi: ₹4.86 lakh
- Dr C N Ashwath Narayan: ₹4.58 lakh
At the other end, Nikhil Umesh Katti claimed just ₹2,349 for his family over the whole period. The claims span party lines. The top three listed come from the BJP and the Congress, and the list includes members of other parties and a former chief minister.
What the rules say
Under rules governing Karnataka’s legislature, the government meets the medical expenses of MLAs and their dependents, including treatment at private and corporate hospitals. That is the legal backdrop to the figures: the claims are permitted. The RTI data do not say which diseases, which hospitals or which procedures were involved, so it is not possible to tell from them why individual totals differ so much.
The information also does not show whether any claim was queried, reduced or rejected, and the reports we reviewed carried no response from the MLAs concerned or from the Government of Karnataka. We have therefore not attributed any motive or wrongdoing to any individual.
Why this is a health-policy story
The numbers have drawn public attention for a reason beyond arithmetic. Ordinary patients in Karnataka often depend on government hospitals, while the rules allow legislators to be treated in private ones at state expense. That contrast is what many readers react to. It also raises a policy question that applies in many states: should elected representatives be covered by the same public insurance and hospital system as citizens, or by a separate scheme?
In our assessment, the figures alone do not prove overuse. Serious illness can be extremely expensive, older legislators will naturally have higher needs, and a handful of high-cost cases can dominate any total. A fair reading is that the data show a concentration: a small number of claimants account for a large share. By our calculation, the eleven claimants named above account for about ₹4.26 crore, or roughly 57% of the total, with the remaining 58 MLAs making up the rest.
How to read an average like ₹10.8 lakh
The average of about ₹10.8 lakh per MLA is a convenient headline, but it hides the shape of the data. Because a few claims run to tens of lakhs while many are small, the typical MLA claim is far below the average, and the median, which was not published, would tell a different story. Readers should also remember that the period covers more than three years, and that the claims cover families as well as the legislators themselves.
What could change
- Transparency: publishing aggregate figures proactively, rather than only through RTI requests.
- Rule changes: setting limits, requiring treatment at designated hospitals, or moving legislators into a public insurance scheme.
- Oversight: auditing claims and publishing categories of expense, without disclosing private medical details.
None of these has been announced in the reports we reviewed. They are options that policymakers and reformers often discuss, not decisions.
What to watch next
Three things would make this story clearer. First, any official response from the Legislative Assembly Secretariat or the state government explaining how claims are scrutinised. Second, whether further RTI requests ask for a breakdown by type of treatment, hospital category or year, which would show whether the high totals reflect a few major surgeries or steady costs. Third, whether lawmakers or citizens’ groups push for a published policy on legislators’ health cover. Until then, the figures should be read as a snapshot of permitted claims, not a verdict on any individual.
For related coverage of health costs and policy, browse our industry insights and healthcare IT news.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Karnataka MLAs claim for medical expenses?
69 MLAs claimed ₹7,46,67,133, about ₹7.47 crore, between 20 May 2023 and 30 September 2026, according to RTI data.
Who claimed the most?
H K Suresh (BJP, Belur) claimed ₹98,78,325, followed by K Harish Gowda (Congress, Chamaraja) at ₹85,91,139 and Dr H D Ranganath (Congress, Kunigal) at ₹85,02,261.
Are these claims legal?
Yes, under rules that allow the government to meet MLAs’ and dependents’ medical expenses, including at private hospitals. The RTI data do not allege any irregularity.
Where did the data come from?
An RTI application by social activist H M Venkatesh, answered by the Legislative Assembly Secretariat.
Did the MLAs or the government respond?
No response was available in the reports we reviewed.
How we reported this: we relied on figures from an RTI reply as reported on 7 October 2026. We could not independently obtain the underlying records, and the amounts are as supplied. Our calculations are labelled. Last updated: 8 October 2026. This article is news reporting and not legal or medical advice.
