State fails Bengaluru aas February 20 deadline for ward reservations passes eithout action: BNP
Bengaluru: Bengaluru Navanirmana Party (BNP) has accused the state government of sheer disregard for the highest office of the Indian judiciary. Referring to the clear and final ultimatum from the Supreme Court of India ordering the State government to publish the final ward-wise reservation list for the long overdue corporation elections by February 20, 2026, the party slammed the government with inaction and called it a deliberate attempt to postpone local governance and bypass constitutional mandates.
"The State Government’s failure to meet the Supreme Court’s deadline is not just a procedural lapse but rather a deliberate and direct insult to judicial authority and a betrayal of the citizens of Bengaluru. Ward delimitation was completed months ago, so there is no technical reason for this delay. It is a calculated move to keep the city in administrative limbo, denying millions of citizens their right to elected representation and stalling vital local governance through Ward Committees and Area Sabhas. This level of disregard for the rule of law is unacceptable in a democracy. Furthermore, the Court’s overall directive to complete corporation elections by June 30, 2026, now hangs in the balance.” said Srikanth Narasimhan, Founder of Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP).
BNP claims that this delay is particularly concerning given that the groundwork for the process was completed months ago, the Ward Delimitation Commission having submitted its final recommendations on November 10, 2025, with notifications issued shortly after 19th November 2025. “While the State has cited the upcoming school examination period (February 28 – May 26, 2026) as a reason for potential election postponement, this does not justify missing the February 20 deadline, which was set specifically to ensure administrative readiness before the academic season peaked.” Srikanth Narasimhan added.
“Bengaluru has been without an elected city council for almost five years, and the impact is clear across the city — poor roads, failing infrastructure, and spending decisions taken without public accountability. Citizens have no local representatives to raise their concerns or demand answers. Every further delay in holding elections only worsens this situation and weakens people’s trust in the system”, said Vishnu Reddy, BNP Zonal President (Mahadevapura).
“Ward boundaries were finalised months ago, the legal framework is in place, and officials have had ample time. Yet the government continues to delay the reservation list. This shows the problem is not readiness, but unwillingness. Governance cannot function on excuses when systems are already prepared. Repeated delays and missed deadlines have badly damaged public confidence in the electoral process. When citizens see timelines change again and again, it creates confusion, frustration, and distrust. A transparent democracy cannot survive on uncertainty”, said Rishvanjas Raghavan, BNP Youth Wing President.
As Bengaluru continues to function under extended administrative arrangements rather than through elected local representatives, Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP) has demanded immediate transparency and the instant release of the reservation list. The party maintains that the rights of citizens and the sanctity of the democratic process must not be sacrificed for political gain.
