Greater Bengaluru elections in doubt despite Governor's approval

CH News

Though the Governor has signed the Greater Bengaluru Administration Act, uncertainty looms over the possibility of elections taking place this year. Key processes such as the formation of new municipalities, ward delimitation, and the compilation of voter lists remain incomplete. Currently, discussions are underway regarding the creation of three new municipalities, with ward delimitation aimed at aligning with the 2011 census data.

Local residents of the metropolitan area are anticipating elections, but it seems unlikely that elections for the newly divided municipalities will occur this year. A committee led by retired Chief Secretary B.S. Patil met on Monday to discuss the implementation of the 'Greater Bengaluru Administration Act-2024', but no significant decisions were made during this preliminary meeting.

The preparation for the elections in the metropolitan area requires considerable groundwork. It involves determining the geographical boundaries, forming municipalities, delimiting wards, preparing voter lists, and publishing reservations, highlighting the need for ample time to complete these processes. Consequently, uncertainty regarding Bengaluru's elections is likely to persist.

Currently, the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) covers an area of 708 square kilometers, with discussions ongoing about extending it to 1,000 square kilometers. The Greater Bengaluru Administration Act proposes the formation of no more than seven urban municipalities.

The government aims to create three municipalities by incorporating areas that have undergone complete urbanization. Each municipality is expected to comprise 150 wards.

During the tenure of the Congress government, a decision was made to create three municipalities named Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Sangolli Rayanna, and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, but these plans were never actualized. This time, the new municipalities will bear significant names associated with Bangalore.