Sociology teacher Dr Ishrat Zakia Sultana has called on public representatives to experience public services in disguise, arguing that anonymous visits can reveal citizens’ actual hardships. In an opinion article published on July 27, 2026, she cited Karnataka transport minister Bairathi, who reportedly travelled masked as an ordinary passenger on several public transport routes during roughly two hours on a Saturday in July.

According to the article, a conductor told the disguised minister to get off a bus because he could not provide change for a 100-rupee note. The writer says the purpose of the journey was to observe drivers’ and conductors’ treatment of passengers and to gain direct experience as a commuter. She contrasts this with what she describes as a pattern of election promises followed by failures to deliver.

The article argues that disguised inspections could expose problems in transport, market regulation, damaged roads, waterlogging and other urban services. It says announced inspections may lead staff to temporarily arrange conditions rather than produce lasting change. The writer proposes that ministers and elected representatives visit their offices or constituencies at least weekly as service recipients, while suggesting that disguised consumer checks could also help identify market abuses.