The Mysuru Dasara Food Mela Vendors’ Association has expressed opposition to the proposed lottery system for allocating stalls at the upcoming food mela. In a press conference held in Mysuru, association president S. Nagaraju urged the Mysuru Dasara Food Mela sub-committee to reconsider the lottery system and prioritize vendors who have been participating in the event continuously for the past 15 years.
According to the association, some applicants have submitted multiple applications under the names of their relatives to increase their chances of selection under the lottery system. This move could disadvantage genuine vendors who have submitted single applications, said Shantha M., the association’s vice‑president. Last year, around 160 stalls were allocated, including 50 to 60 non‑vegetarian stalls.
This year, the number of applications has exceeded 500, with many applicants submitting multiple applications through their relatives. The cost of a vegetarian stall has been increased to ₹75,000, and a non‑vegetarian stall to ₹1 lakh, compared with ₹60,000 and ₹80,000 respectively last year. The application fee remains ₹300. The association has also requested parking passes for vendors setting up stalls at the food mela.
Nagaraju also appealed for the stall fees to stay at last year’s levels, arguing that lower charges would enable vendors to provide quality food at affordable prices to visitors.
The vendors’ association submitted a representation to the chairperson of the Mysuru Dasara Food Mela on August 31, urging the authorities to consider their demands favorably. Members emphasized that vendors who have been participating for the last 15 years have maintained the taste and quality of their food items, and therefore the sub‑committee should select vendors on its own and abandon the proposed lottery system.