Bengaluru, October 17: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday claimed that the state had achieved two major world records, one for the highest number of free bus rides for women under the Shakti Scheme, and another for the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) receiving hundreds of national and international awards. In a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), Siddaramaiah wrote, “Karnataka enters the London Book of World Records! Shakti Scheme has enabled 564.10 crore free rides for women. KSRTC has bagged 464 awards since 1997. Proud moment for Karnataka.”

The CM shared a certificate allegedly issued by the London Book of World Records (LBWR), claiming it recognised the Shakti Scheme as the initiative with the highest number of free bus rides for women globally. The announcement was positioned as a significant achievement for the state government’s welfare efforts, but it quickly triggered a wave of scepticism and criticism online and from opposition parties. Meta Apologises for Declaring CM Siddaramaiah ‘Dead’ After Inaccurate Automatic Translation of Karnataka CMO’s Condolence Message on Facebook.

Siddaramaiah Claims ‘World Record’ for Shakti Scheme, KSRTC Awards

Fact Check: Is the London Book of World Records Legitimate?

The claims made by Siddaramaiah have come under serious scrutiny. Social media users and political opponents flagged the certificate as inauthentic, citing that the London Book of World Records is not a credible or recognised international record authority. According to official documents from the UK’s Companies House, LBWR was dissolved on July 15, 2025, and no longer operates as a legal entity.

A Community Note on X also clarified: “London Book of World Records is a private limited company in the UK. The company was dissolved as of July 15, 2025, according to UK Companies House. This does not appear authentic.”

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Social Media Users Call Out ‘Fake’ World Record, Mock Certificate

Several users mocked the poor formatting, grammatical inconsistencies, and questionable language in the certificate shared by the CM. One viral comment read, “Someone in Karol Bagh drafted this,” highlighting suspicions that the certificate may have been created locally. Is the 'Leopard at Phoenix Mall in Mumbai' Video Real or Fake? AI-Generated Clip Spreads Fake News About Kurla Mall.

The Janata Dal (Secular) also criticised the post, claiming LBWR sold “Gold, Silver, and Platinum” record packages without any real validation. Though the post by Karnataka CM was deleted within two hours, screenshots had already gone viral, turning a celebration into a major political embarrassment.

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Fact check

Did KSRTC and Karnataka Govt’s Shakti Scheme Receive Certificates From ‘London Book of World Records’? CM Siddaramaiah Falls for Fake News, Know the Truth Here
Claim :

CM Siddaramaiah claimed Karnataka’s Shakti Scheme was recognised by the 'London Book of World Records' for enabling 564.10 crore free bus rides for women.

Conclusion :

The London Book of World Records is not a credible record keeping authority and its dissolution in July 2025 further undermines the legitimacy of the CM’s claim.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 17, 2025 06:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).