Overview
- BESCOM started a statewide door-to-door re‑verification drive on July 1, visiting tens of thousands of homes to record beneficiary details for the Gruha Jyothi free‑power scheme.
- Field teams have been asking for Aadhaar, voter ID, PAN, tenancy or rent documents, ration card and caste certificate information using the Seva Sindhu app and printed forms.
- BESCOM and the Energy Department have clarified that caste/category entry is voluntary and staff must mark a beneficiary as 'refused to provide information' if they decline to share it.
- Opposition leaders raised alarms over requests for PAN and caste data, while Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has said non‑voters will be removed from the list, leaving many beneficiaries anxious about losing up to 200 free units.
- Officials say collected data is only being collated now and the government will later decide eligibility; meter readers' field work has also prompted average billing for July for many consumers while readings are delayed.