Setting the stage for the long-awaited civic elections, the Karnataka State Election Commission (SEC) on Monday (Jan 19) officially released the draft electoral rolls for the newly formed Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). The draft identifies 88.91 lakh eligible electors across the five corporations carved out of the erstwhile BBMP.

This move marks a critical step toward fulfilling the Supreme Court’s strict deadline to conclude the Bengaluru civic polls by June 30, 2026. Fujifilm X-T50 40 MP APS-C X-Trans Sensor|Retro Style mirrorless Camera|4k/6.2k vlogging|High Speed Recording FHD 240fps - Black

Electoral Roll Snapshot

The draft rolls cover 369 wards and 8,045 polling stations across the city. The demographic breakdown shows a narrowing gap between male and female voters:

Total Voters: 88,91,489

Male Voters: ~45.8 Lakh

Female Voters: ~43.1 Lakh

Other Genders: 1,200+

Concentration: The South and East City Corporations remain the most populous electoral zones within the GBA.

Timeline for Finalization

Citizens now have a window to verify their details and file claims or objections:

Objections Deadline: February 2, 2026.

Final List Publication: March 16, 2026.

Polling Window: The SEC has indicated that elections are likely to commence after May 25, avoiding the school board examination period. Notably, the commission has decided to use Ballot Papers instead of EVMs for this election cycle.

Statewide Special Intensive Revision (SIR): 61% Mapping Complete ?

While Bengaluru prepares for local polls, the state of Karnataka is undergoing its first Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 23 years. The massive exercise aims to clean up voter databases by comparing current records with historical data from the 2002-2004 SIR cycle. Also Read: ‘One Village, One Election’: Karnataka Set for Historic Simultaneous Triple-Tier Panchayat Polls!?