BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Election Commission is likely to announce the dates for elections to all the five corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) in the next ten days. According to the Supreme Court deadline, the polls have to be conducted before August 31.
The elections to the earlier Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike were held in 2015 and since September 2020, Bengaluru does not have a local government. State Election Commission sources said preparations for the polls have started. “We can fix the poll dates only after consulting a representative from the GBA and it will be done soon. Once we hold the discussion, we will get clarity and dates will be announced,’’ the official said.
After the final GBA electoral rolls were published in April this year, Congress had raised objection to the process in a few wards in three corporations. Now, a separate door-to-door survey is being done by State Election Commission at these wards. “This may take time, but we have to abide the court’s direction and conduct polls before August,’’ sources said.
Parties start prep for GBA polls
Parties, in the meantime, have started preparing. Congress is expected to release a separate manifesto for Bengaluru, while Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has started taking officials from all Bengaluru-related agencies, including GBA, BMRCL and other agencies, to task. For Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who earlier served as Bengaluru development minister, it is a prestige issue to win in the city. On the other hand, BJP and JDS have decided to contest the elections together, and are all set to form a coordination committee.