Supreme Court Orders Karnataka Govt to Hold Bengaluru Civic Polls by June 30, 2026

• The Supreme Court has directed the Karnataka government to conduct civic polls in Bengaluru by June 30, 2026.
• A final deadline of February 20, 2026, is set for the state to notify ward delimitation for five municipal corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).
• Chief Justice of India Surya Kant instructed the State Election Commissioner to publish the final voter list by March 16, 2026.
• Elections for Bengaluru's civic bodies have been pending since the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) term ended on September 10, 2020.
• Karnataka had previously stated elections could only be held after August 15, 2025, post the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024.

Why It Matters: Supreme Court mandates Bengaluru civic polls by June 2026, setting strict deadlines for Karnataka government.