Bengaluru: D K Shivakumar advises against banners; fans in no mood to listen

Despite CM-designate D K Shivakumar’s appeal against putting up banners and posters, several congratulatory banners and flexes were erected across Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Owners of flex and banner printing services in city were flooded with orders, with many receiving them in the hundreds.

“We started receiving orders on May 27, even before Siddaramaiah officially resigned. Currently, we are overbooked and have stopped taking orders. Other printers too reached out to us for help, as they had taken on orders beyond capacity,” said Manjunath, owner of RR Nagar-based Ganya Prints. Over the past week, his company got orders for about 500 banners.

“This is the largest number of orders we’ve ever received for a particular occasion. It’s almost double the number of orders we received during the CM’s swearing-in ceremony in 2023,” he added.

RG Printers on Kanakapura Road also got big influx of enquiries. “The enquiries are not stopping. As we had prior commitments, we had to decline a majority of the bookings. We’re only printing 15-20 banners this time,” said Shruti, proprietor.

The most commonly ordered flexes and banners include 15 ft circular banners, and 8x10 ft and 3x5 ft rectangular ones. Each banner costs between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000. A majority of these can be seen in and around places like Vidhana Soudha, Mekhri Circle (airport road), Chalukya Circle, Queen’s Road, Kanakapura Road and Nayandahalli Junction. Some parts of the city also saw digital hoardings. 

Speaking to DH, a flex-banner printer in south Bengaluru said orders had surged despite legal restrictions. “We know banners and flexes are illegal, but influential clients continue to place orders and we cannot afford to lose business, especially with digital boards coming up across the city,” he said. He said his unit alone received an order for around 150 congratulatory banners.

Adhi Digital Prints in Nayandahalli is focusing on hoardings. “We’ve received orders from close associates of Shivakumar. We’re only providing prints and recipients will put them up themselves. Rather than politicians or their teams, most orders are from friends and well-wishers,” said Amar, the owner. His prints are being delivered to Channapatna, Bidadi and Ramanagara.

Many opt for printing units located on the city’s outskirts to flout Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) surveillance. 

Display of flex hoardings banners for welcoming designate Chief Minister D K Shivkumar’s vote taking ceremony on Dr Ambedkar veedi in Bengaluru on Tuesday June 02 2026.