Mysuru: A dispute over the allocation of stalls for the Dasara Food Fair 2026 has erupted, with traders angry at Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) for lottery-based selection.
A group of traders gathered at the civic body office and protested, claiming that the stall-allocation process had caused hardships to those who had been participating in the Dasara food fair for a number of years.
Traders are concerned about Stall Allocation
The protesting traders claimed that the number of applications received for the food fair was higher than the number of stalls available. Traders who had previously operated stalls at the annual event were not selected this year, they said.
The protesters were concerned about the use of the lottery to select stall operators. They argued that the process was not being conducted transparently and that the system should be reconsidered.
The traders also claimed that some applicants were given preference, while others who had been doing business at the Dasara food fair for years were left out.
However, these are allegations made by the protesting traders and would require verification from the concerned civic authorities.
Darshan's Relative Joins Protest
Among those who expressed disappointment was Chandan, son-in-law of Kannada actor Darshan, who had also applied for a stall at this year's food fair.
Chandan last year had been operating a stall named 'Nemmadi Oota'. He applied again this year for an entry in the Dasara food fair.
Chandan, however, expressed disappointment about the lack of a stall and appealed to the authorities to provide an opportunity for him as well. Darshan's fans also seemed to be waiting for the stall to be made available.
Chandan sat among the protesting traders and joined their demonstration outside the civic body's office.
Protesters Demand Transparency
Traders have challenged the lottery system to better allocate stalls for the 2026 Dasara Food Fair to be transparent. The lottery system is holding back traders who have been attending the event for years.
The protesters also questioned why the applications were accepted in numbers greater than the stalls available when many regular traders would eventually be unable to participate.
They have called for the lottery-based system to be withdrawn and have wanted a process that takes into account traders who have been associated with the Dasara food fair for several years.
Dasara Food Fair Preparations
The food fair is one of the major attractions of the annual Mysuru Dasara festival. This will attract both residents and visitors, as Dasara in Mysuru is a significant event. Local traders can secure a stall at the event if there are a large number of visitors to Mysuru during Dasara.
The stall allocation issue has raised concern for the applicants who were hoping to participate this year.
The protesting traders have asked Mysuru civic authorities to address their concerns and clarify how the lottery was conducted, how applications were shortlisted, and what criteria were followed while finalising the list of stall operators.
The next response from Mysuru civic authorities will determine whether the issue is resolved before the food fair begins.
