Karnataka Petitions Supreme Court to Delay Bengaluru Civic Polls

The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and the Government of Karnataka have petitioned the Supreme Court of India to postpone civic elections for five city corporations in Bengaluru. The applicants requested moving the August 31 deadline to December 31, 2026, citing severe logistical challenges and manpower shortages.

Officials state that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls requires house-to-house enumeration of more than 1.03 crore voters. The GBA argues that the manpower-intensive nature of the SIR, which involves booth-level officers and a complete supervisory structure, overlaps with the election timeline. The final electoral roll for the SIR is not scheduled for release until October 7.

This request follows a May 20 hearing where the Supreme Court accused the local body of using "delaying tactics" and explicitly barred further extensions. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar acknowledged the practical difficulties associated with the SIR exercise but maintained that the government is complying with the court's directions.