The Supreme Court of India on Monday set a strict June 30, 2026, deadline for completing elections to Bengaluru’s local bodies, signalling the end of a prolonged period of administrative limbo in the city’s civic governance. The court also directed the Karnataka government to publish the final ward-wise reservation list by February 20, extending the earlier December 15 deadline, but made it clear that no further extension will be allowed.

The directions came from a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, which has been monitoring compliance with earlier orders concerning elections to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the newly created municipal corporations within the Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA).

Finalizing Ward Reservations

During Monday’s hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Karnataka government, assured the bench that the process of finalizing and notifying ward-wise reservations would be completed within a month. Acting on this assurance, the Supreme Court fixed February 20, 2026, as the final date for the publication of reservations.

The State Election Commission (SEC), represented by senior advocate KN Phanindra, informed the court that the final voters’ list would be published by March 16, allowing elections to be scheduled immediately afterward. Phanindra explained that elections could practically be held only after the conclusion of school and college examinations, as educational institutions serve as polling stations and teachers are deployed for election duties.

With board examinations concluding on May 26, the SEC assured the bench that polling would commence immediately after. The Supreme Court directed that elections be concluded by June 30, 2026, in all circumstances, emphasizing that the timeline is mandatory and non-extendable.

Expansion of Bengaluru’s Municipal Governance

The upcoming elections will mark a major expansion of Bengaluru’s civic governance structure. Unlike previous polls conducted for 198 wards, the next elections will cover 369 wards across five municipal corporations in the Greater Bengaluru Area—an increase of 171 wards.

Last week, the Karnataka government took a key procedural step toward the elections by notifying reservations for 369 wards, spanning the General, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories. The government has also reserved 50% of wards for women across all categories, ensuring compliance with constitutional mandates for gender representation.

Background of Delays

The Bengaluru civic polls have faced prolonged delays, leaving the city under bureaucratic and government-appointed administration since the term of the last BBMP council ended in September 2020. The delays are rooted in legal disputes over ward delimitation, reservation, and the expansion of municipal corporations, which have been litigated through multiple court proceedings.

The Karnataka government had challenged a December 2020 Karnataka High Court judgment, which directed the SEC to hold BBMP elections promptly and publish a poll programme within six weeks of finalizing electoral rolls. The Supreme Court stayed the High Court’s order the same month, leading to further delays.

In 2022, the Supreme Court directed the state government to complete the delimitation of BBMP wards and notify them within eight weeks, but implementation has been slow due to disputes over the number of wards and the schedule for elections.

The High Court judgment of December 2020 had upheld the constitutional validity of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Third Amendment Act, 2020, which increased the number of BBMP wards. While the High Court “read down” the amendment to apply only to future elections, it directed the government to publish final reservation notifications for 198 wards based on the June 23, 2020 delimitation.

The state government, however, argued that elections should be held for the increased number of wards (243 at the time, now 369), as mandated by the 2020 amendment, rather than 198. This legal tussle contributed significantly to the delay in holding elections.

Electoral and Administrative Implications

The Supreme Court’s intervention provides clarity and sets a definitive timeline for elections, which has been long overdue in Bengaluru. With 369 wards across five municipal corporations, the elections will determine local governance and political control across the Greater Bengaluru Area.

The court’s emphasis on strict adherence to deadlines—including the February 20 publication of ward-wise reservations and completion of elections by June 30—underscores the judiciary’s insistence on timely democratic processes. It also accounts for logistical constraints such as exam schedules and the deployment of teachers and polling staff.

This election is also significant for gender representation, with half of the wards reserved for women, and for social representation, with SC, ST, and OBC reservations clearly demarcated across all wards.

Key Dates Ahead

• February 20, 2026: Final ward-wise reservation to be published by the Karnataka government.
• March 16, 2026: SEC scheduled to publish final voter lists.
• May 26, 2026: Completion of school and college board examinations.
• Post-May 26, 2026: Polling to commence immediately after examinations.
• June 30, 2026: Final deadline for completion of all elections in Bengaluru.

With these deadlines in place, Bengaluru’s civic polls are expected to proceed without further legal or administrative delays, bringing an end to nearly six years of extended bureaucratic rule and deferred elections.

The Supreme Court’s order is likely to have a catalytic impact on municipal governance, ensuring that citizens finally exercise their franchise in both the BBMP and the newly created municipal corporations. The elections will also reshape political dynamics in Bengaluru, which has long been a key battleground in Karnataka politics.