Bengaluru sees yet another year without BBMP polls

The past four years have witnessed significant changes in the city’s governance structure.
| Photo Credit: file photo

Yet another year has passed without elections for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The term of the previous council ended in September 2020, and despite numerous delays and legal challenges, civic polls have not been conducted. This prolonged absence of elected officials has left citizens grappling with a lack of local representation to address their concerns.

The past four years have witnessed significant changes in the city’s governance structure: the number of wards was initially increased to 243 and then reduced to 225, and the introduction of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill 2024.

Following the delay in elections, two former Congress councillors, Abdul Wajid and M. Shivaraju, filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court seeking to expedite the electoral process. However, the State Election Commission (SEC) cited delays in finalising ward delimitation and reservation lists as obstacles.

In December 2020, the High Court directed the SEC to conduct elections for the existing 198 wards within six weeks of the government publishing the reservation list. However, the State government subsequently enacted the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Act, 2020, increasing the number of wards to 243.

Despite the High Court’s directive, the State government appealed to the Supreme Court, which stayed the High Court’s order, allowing the BJP-led government to proceed with plans for the newly defined 243 wards. In July 2022, a notification was issued for 243 wards. However, after the change in government in 2023, this notification was withdrawn, and a new notification was issued for 225 wards.

In 2024, the government came up with the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, which is yet to be tabled. A 14-member committee is scrutinising the bill.

Abdul Wajid, a former Congress councillor, expressed deep concern over the continued delay in elections. “Now, with the new Bill, no one knows when the polls will be held. What is the necessity for Greater Bengaluru Authority, which does not attach Bangalore Development Authority to it? The government should hold BBMP polls at least in the coming year.”

Vinay Srinivasa, a civic activist, criticised the Congress for its apparent disregard for constitutional principles and federalism regarding the BBMP. “If there is no council, the people have to approach officials who are always busy. On the other hand, former councillors have no work now. At least in 2025, the government should hold elections,” he said.

N.R Ramesh, a former BJP councillor, said not a single MLA apart from Rajajinagar M.L. Suresh Kumar is interested in elections. “This feeling is the same, cutting across the party lines. The current dispensation will not hold polls even in 2025,” he said. 

Srinivas Reddy, another activist, said without councillors, the citizens are grappling to resolve civic issues on the ground. “The local MLAs do not understand hyperlocal problems in the wards. The BBMP officials are of little use in resolving the problems,” he said.