The Supreme Court on Monday told the Karnataka government to hold civic polls in Bengaluru by June 30, 2026.
The apex court granted a final deadline of February 20, 2026, to the Karnataka government to issue
the final notification for the delimitation of wards under all five municipal corporations of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the State Election Commissioner to publish the final voter list by March 16, 2026.
The elections to civic bodies in Karnataka’s capital have not been held since the term of the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) expired on September 10, 2020.
The state government had earlier informed the Supreme Court that elections could be held only after August 15, 2025, following the passage of the proposed Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024.
On January 10, 2025, Karnataka notified reservations for 369 wards under five newly carved municipal corporations in the Greater Bengaluru Area.
Earlier this month, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said that elections to all local bodies, including the Greater Bengaluru Authority, will be held within this year.
