Civic agency polls may be delayed by a year to implement Greater Bengaluru Governance Act

Time of India

29-04-2025

Bengaluru: Elections to Bengaluru's civic agency could be delayed by as much as a year as the govt must carry out a series of procedural steps to implement the Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBA) Act before polls can be held.
The govt notified the new law, which replaces the
BBMP Act
, after governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot gave his assent last week. For the GBG Act to be implemented, a Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) must be established, which requires identifying a greater Bengaluru area beyond the current 786sq km. The govt also plans to carve out new city corporations, potentially creating up to seven. This process includes determining new wards and reservation patterns.
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Urban development department (UDD) officials say these procedural steps will take at least a year to complete but transport minister Ramalinga Reddy, who represents a seat in Bengaluru city, has said the govt aims to conduct polls by Dec.
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"We will see what best can be done to expeditiously complete procedural steps to hold elections under the GBG Act. We will call a meeting of elected representatives from all parties, representing Bengaluru, and take their suggestions," said Reddy, a key minister involved in the process.
The delay has sparked frustration among opposition parties, who accuse the govt of deliberately stalling polls. Opposition leader R Ashoka said the enactment of GBG Act is part of a broader strategy to delay elections even further.
His party colleague CN Ashwath Narayan said: "BBMP polls have been delayed by nearly five years now. While polls were initially delayed because of the pandemic, it was the present govt's responsibility to ensure polls were held immediately after taking the helm in May 2023. Instead, it is adopting delaying tactics."
Civil society organisations have also raised concerns, with some planning to move court. Prakash Belawadi, convener, Bengaluru Town Hall, an umbrella organisation of civil society groups, argued that civic polls could be conducted under provisions of BBMP Act as UDD has not yet declared the appointed day for the GBG Act.
"The BBMP Act would be repealed only after UDD notifies GBG Act with the declaration of the appointed day," Belawadi said. "We will seek a court direction to the govt and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to hold elections under the existing law." Bengaluru Town Hall will meet on Thursday to discuss the way forward.
The Karnataka State Election Commission (SEC) meanwhile plans to hold elections to other city corporations — Mysuru, Tumakuru, Shivamogga, Mangaluru, and Davanagere — which have also experienced significant delays. SEC plans to move the high court Friday to seek directions to hold these elections.
"The govt has not complied with its obligation to facilitate polls for these city corporations," said GS Sangreshi, CEC. "It has failed to provide us with the report of delimitation of wards and reservation pattern for them, despite our repeated reminders. We will file a writ petition in the HC."