<p>Bengaluru: The four-member delimitation commission — formed earlier this month — has completed the exercise of drawing ward boundaries within the five newly carved corporations in the Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA), officials said.</p>.<p>The exercise is crucial for holding civic elections, pending for over five years.</p>.<p>Deputy Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/d-k-shivakumar">DK Shivakumar</a> had hinted at 500 wards, but the commission said the number has been reduced to between 300 and 400 after pressure from former councillors, who argued that smaller wards would weaken political parties and encourage independents.</p>.Greater Bengaluru Authority: Five corporations get work allocated between two senior officers.<p>M Maheshwar Rao, Chairperson of the Commission and Chief Commissioner of GBA, told <em>DH</em> that the report is ready and will be submitted to the government on Wednesday. He, however, declined to reveal the proposed number of wards.</p>.<p>The commission was given 20 days for its first report and three months for the full exercise, including draft and final notifications. The Union government has directed that wards be formalised by December, ahead of the 2026 census.</p>.<p>A source said the number of wards kept changing at every meeting. “The Deputy Chief Minister was keen on 500 wards. Then it came down to 300, went up to 400, and now it will be somewhere around 350." </p>.<p>While drawing up the boundaries government guidelines required the commission to consider population, geographical size, population density, revenue potential, non-agricultural activities and employment activities, with no more than 150 wards per corporation.</p>.<p>As per the 2011 census, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's population was 8.5 million. Electoral rolls in 2023 put the figure at 14.4 million. Wards must be drawn based on the 2011 census, but allows for a deviation of up to 25 per cent to ensure an even population distribution across wards.</p>.<p>Smaller parties such as Karnataka Rashtra Samiti, Aam Aadmi Party, and Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party had sought smaller wards to improve their chances, while the BJP, Congress, and JD(S) preferred larger wards to consolidate loyalist votes.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The four-member delimitation commission — formed earlier this month — has completed the exercise of drawing ward boundaries within the five newly carved corporations in the Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA), officials said.</p>.<p>The exercise is crucial for holding civic elections, pending for over five years.</p>.<p>Deputy Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/d-k-shivakumar">DK Shivakumar</a> had hinted at 500 wards, but the commission said the number has been reduced to between 300 and 400 after pressure from former councillors, who argued that smaller wards would weaken political parties and encourage independents.</p>.Greater Bengaluru Authority: Five corporations get work allocated between two senior officers.<p>M Maheshwar Rao, Chairperson of the Commission and Chief Commissioner of GBA, told <em>DH</em> that the report is ready and will be submitted to the government on Wednesday. He, however, declined to reveal the proposed number of wards.</p>.<p>The commission was given 20 days for its first report and three months for the full exercise, including draft and final notifications. The Union government has directed that wards be formalised by December, ahead of the 2026 census.</p>.<p>A source said the number of wards kept changing at every meeting. “The Deputy Chief Minister was keen on 500 wards. Then it came down to 300, went up to 400, and now it will be somewhere around 350." </p>.<p>While drawing up the boundaries government guidelines required the commission to consider population, geographical size, population density, revenue potential, non-agricultural activities and employment activities, with no more than 150 wards per corporation.</p>.<p>As per the 2011 census, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's population was 8.5 million. Electoral rolls in 2023 put the figure at 14.4 million. Wards must be drawn based on the 2011 census, but allows for a deviation of up to 25 per cent to ensure an even population distribution across wards.</p>.<p>Smaller parties such as Karnataka Rashtra Samiti, Aam Aadmi Party, and Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party had sought smaller wards to improve their chances, while the BJP, Congress, and JD(S) preferred larger wards to consolidate loyalist votes.</p>