'No funds or staff to conduct Bengaluru civic elections by June 30': Karnataka poll body tells Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Karnataka's State Election Commission has told the Supreme Court that the state authorities sought the elections in five Bangalore City Corporations to be conducted by September 30, instead of June 30, 2026 fixed by the apex court, on the grounds that state officials would be busy in census and SIR exercises.

Seeking appropriate orders from the court in an application, the SEC said, it has published the final voters on April 18, 2026, by extending the date from March 16, 2026, which has had no bearing or impact on the date fixed by the court for completion of election process by June 30, 2026, but it has got no funds, or staff of its own to complete the exercise without the support from the state government.

It stated, the Chief Commissioner, Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) addressed a letter on April 06, 2026 to the State Election Commission, requesting for extension of time for conduct of elections to the five Bengaluru City Corporations and requesting that the election may be considered to be completed by September 30, 2026.

"The reason cited by the Chief Commissioner was that the census related activities would commence from 16/04/2026 and continue up to 15/05/2026, and during that time the administrative and field level staff under GBA will be busy and deployed for the said exercise. Another reason cited was that the Election Commission of India was expected to schedule the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roles in Karnataka from April 2026,'' the application pointed out.

Immediately thereafter, the State Election Commission secured the legal opinion and thereafter addressed a letter to the Chief Secretary about the deadline and that the Election Commission of India had also not published any time table for conducting the SIR work in Karnataka till date.

Subsequently, the plea said, the SEC received a letter on April 15, 2026 addressed by the Secretary to Government, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, seeking extension of time for conducting and completing the election process upto September 30, 2026 by narrating the very same reasons that had been stated by the Chief Commissioner, GBA.

"The SEC has taken proactive steps to ensure that the final voters list for all the five Bangalore City Corporations are published on April 18, 2026 with all financial expenses for the preparation and publication of the Electoral Roll and its related works. Furthermore, the State Election Commission is taking all steps to ensure that the elections to GBA are conducted and completed before June 30, 2026 as stipulated and directed by this court,'' it stated.

The application also stated, the State Election Commission is completely dependent on the state government and its authorities to provide the logistical support, staff, infrastructure and funds for the purpose of conducting the elections to the 5 Bangalore City Corporations.

"It is necessary to state that the State Election Commission has no funds for conducting election and has been requesting the State Government to release the funds urgently for the purpose of being utilized to conduct the election to GBA,'' the SEC said, seeking appropriate orders from the court.