First time in India: Open top bus takes ministers in a procession to Cabinet meeting in Mangaluru

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Karnataka's Chief Minister D.K Shivakumar and his ministerial colleagues took an open top bus to the venue of the Cabinet meeting — Praja Soudha at Padil — in Mangaluru on September 18, 2026. | Photo Credit: H S Manjunath

For the first time in the history of India, ministers boarded an open top bus and went in a procession to a cabinet meeting.

This unique event took place in Karnataka on September 18. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his colleagues boarded an open top bus, which took them in a procession, to the Cabinet meeting in Praja Soudha at Padil in Mangaluru.

While Cabinet meetings are normally held every Thursday in the State capital Bengaluru, the Chief Minister shifted the venue to Mangaluru on the request of Health Minister U.T. Khader. Mr. Khader had placed a proposal before the Chief Minister to shift the venue to Mangaluru with the aim of highlighting regional issues before the Cabinet.

After the Chief Minister accepted the proposal, a date was announced. This triggered preparations in Mangaluru, in Dakshina Kannada district, to host the Cabinet Minister of Karnataka. The idea of taking the ministers in a procession in an open top bus has galvanised the administration.

Earlier this week, the route to the venue — Praja Soudha — was cleaned. The Praja Soudha was spruced up. Traffic restrictions were put in place and motorists were told to avoid roads that were likely to be congested on September 18.

On September 18, Chief Minister D.K Shivakumar had breakfast with a group of social media influencers before joining his ministerial colleagues on the open top bus that took them to Praja Soudha at Padil for the Cabinet meeting.

Thousands of people turned up to see the sight and greet the ministers.

Seventeen (17) subjects were on the agenda for discussion during the Cabinet meeting.

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