SC to Karnataka: Notify election rules within a week for 5 new corporations in Bengaluru

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Karnataka government to bring in within a week the conduct of election rules under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, which envisaged five new corporations to manage the city.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi also directed the state government to strictly adhere to the timeline as mentioned in its affidavit and complete the process of ward delimitation and issuance of notification by November 1, 2025.

The State Election Commission (SEC) also filed an additional affidavit, stating they would require 60-90 days after final notification is issued by the state government, for preparing and finalising electoral rolls for the city corporations.

"We direct the SEC to resume the work of finalising electoral rolls for five corporations. State of Karnataka shall file compliance affidavit regarding the timeline schedule. As regards the SEC's additional affidavit, the state government shall notify the rules within one week,'' the bench ordered.

The court scheduled the matter for further hearing on November 3, 2025.

In its affidavit, the State Election Commission stated, upon finalisation of the final electoral rolls/voters list, it would immediately take action and announce the schedule of elections to the five city corporations.

It also stated the exercise of preparation of electoral rolls or voters list would be commenced immediately after the issuance of the final notification of the delimitation of wards and will continue even during the process being undertaken by the state government for the reservation of wards.

The State Election Commission would require a further time period of 45 days for completion of the entire election process for the new city corporations for which the time period includes from the date of announcement of schedule of elections till the declaration of the results, it said.

The SEC also urged before the court that the state government should bind itself to the timelines set out in its affidavit as regards to the completion of the issuance of final notifications for delimitation of wards and reservation of wards.

"The State Election Commission would be corresponding with the state government for bringing about the rules relating to ‘Conduct of Elections’ Rules for the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024 and would also be requesting the state government to bring about the said rules which would facilitate in the conduct of free and fair elections,'' it said.