BBMP elections face further delay after Greater Bengaluru bill gets governor’s nod

The governor’s approval of the Greater Bengaluru Governance bill, which proposes splitting the BBMP into multiple smaller corporations, has led to another likely delay in Bengaluru’s long-pending municipal elections. The city has been without an elected civic body for over four and a half years and the process to restore the council now appears even more distant. 

Also Read: Karnataka Council passes Greater Bengaluru Bill; DKS stresses deliberations

Since September 2020, the BBMP has been run by senior IAS officers, with no elected representatives to address public grievances. Residents have had  to rely on ward offices or MLAs for civic issues, as the absence of a council has left a democratic vacuum. 

The BBMP election issue has seen prolonged legal battles, including Supreme Court directions to hold polls. The earlier BJP-government delayed elections while increasing the number of wards from 198 to 243. The current Congress government revised that to 225 wards and pushed through the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, which the governor initially rejected but later approved. 

According to Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, fresh delimitation of wards, population assessments, and fixing reservations for SC, ST and women are necessary before elections can proceed. Meanwhile, some citizen groups plan to challenge the new governance structure in court, potentially causing further delays.