SC extends Bengaluru civic polls till December over Karnataka SIR

The GBA has faced sharp criticism in the past from the court, which said the local body was using “delay tactics” to postpone the civic polls in Bengaluru. File. | Photo credit: Sudhakara Jain

The Supreme Court has allowed separate pleas by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and even the Election Commission of Karnataka to extend the deadline for holding elections to 369 constituencies in five Bengaluru municipal corporations till December 2026.

The plea cited “severe logistical issues” due to the ongoing Special Intensive Review (SIR) in Karnataka.

In a more lenient vein, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asked the GBA whether it would give another reason for another extension in December.

Elections have been repeatedly postponed in the past for one reason or another. The court eventually lost patience and gave the GBA one last chance to hold an election until August 31, 2026.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the GBA, expressed his personal dissent and said he would not appear before the civic body if it tries to seek another extension in December.

The GBA has faced sharp criticism in the past from the court, which said the local body was using “delay tactics” to postpone the civic polls in Bengaluru.

This time, the GBA, in an application filed on July 9, 2026, said that the entire administrative machinery and human resources of the five city corporations were fully engaged in the SIR exercise. The SIR required the services of 8,872 Booth Level Officers, 938 Head Booth Level Officers, 28 Electoral Registration Officers, 75 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, besides Nodal Officers, Observers, Trainers, Resources etc. The personnel were drawn from the Municipal Corporations, GBAs and other bodies.

It said that Bengaluru alone has more than 1.03 million voters, which is about 1/6 of the total 5.54 million voters in the state. Voters were deployed in around 40 lakh residences, which required absolute and undivided commitment of booth-level officers, staff and officers of GBA, five city corporations and other departments.

The final voter list is scheduled for October 19 in Karnataka.

“SIR is an extremely manpower intensive exercise which involves door-to-door visits by booth-level officials and also requires daily involvement of a complete surveillance structure comprising other officials at all levels up to the District Election Officer…GBA is facing serious logistical challenges,” the civic body said.

Published – 17 Jul 2026 13:17 IST