GBA holds ward reservation meeting; Bengaluru civic polls likely in February-March

A high-level meeting led by GBA and senior officials reviews reservation allocation for Bengaluru’s wards after delimitation, as the Election Commission readies voter rolls.

The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has formally begun the crucial exercise of finalising ward reservations for the upcoming Bengaluru civic elections, marking a major step in the city’s poll preparations. The meeting, held at Vikas Soudha, comes shortly after the completion of ward delimitation across the Bengaluru region.

Also Read:Bengaluru Central City Corporation conducts mass clean-up; Commissioner fines private travels for violations

The reservation meeting was chaired by Urban Development Additional Chief Secretary Tushar Girinath, who heads the Ward Reservation Scrutiny Committee. Senior members of the committee, ncluding the GBA Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao, the Principal Secretary of the Social Welfare Department, Principal Secretaries from the Law and Backward Classes Welfare Departments, the Secretary of the Minorities Department, and the Special Secretary to Government, participated in the detailed review.

Officials examined delimitation boundaries, demographic divisions and statutory norms to determine SC, ST, OBC and women’s reservation for each ward in Bengaluru. The meeting marks the beginning of the final phase of the reservation exercise, which will be completed before the election schedule is announced.

Also Read:Agara Lake set for major makeover as Bengaluru plans new water adventure sports hub

Meanwhile, the State Election Commission has outlined its timeline for voter list updates. The draft electoral roll will be released on December 8, followed by the objection and correction window from December 9 to December 23. Disposal of objections will take place from December 24 to January 7, 2026, after which the final electoral roll will be published on January 29.

With both reservation and voter list processes progressing simultaneously, officials expect the government to announce the Bengaluru civic election schedule in January, with polling likely to be held in February-March.

This coordinated exercise by the GBA and the Election Commission sets the stage for Bengaluru’s long-pending civic polls.