Legislators from Karnataka's ruling Congress party and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have requested free tickets for Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches, sparking a discussion in the state legislative assembly. The issue was raised on March 21, 2026, with some members citing their status as public representatives to justify the request for complimentary passes.
During the assembly session, Congress MLA Dinesh Gooligowda, also known as 'DKS', and BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar, referred to as 'Samrat Ashoka', were among those who raised the matter. Reports indicate that some legislators asked for up to five tickets each for matches, particularly for the season's opening game hosted in Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The request prompted a response from Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H. K. Patil, who stated that the government does not have an official policy of providing free IPL tickets to MLAs. He suggested that legislators, like other citizens, should purchase tickets if they wish to attend the matches. The incident has drawn public attention to the expectations of elected officials regarding privileges.
