The State Election Commission unveiled draft electoral rolls for Bengaluru's upcoming civic elections on Monday. This preliminary list reveals a substantial voter base across the five city corporations that form the Greater Bengaluru Authority.
Voter Numbers Show Significant Growth
More than 88.9 lakh voters appear in the draft notification. This includes approximately 45 lakh men and 43 lakh women. The commission prepared these rolls using October 1, 2025, as the qualifying date according to State Election Commissioner GS Sangreshi.
Compared to the 2022 exercise, the current list shows a notable increase of over 9.7 lakh electors. Data indicates a 13.6% rise in female voters and an 11% increase among male voters. The overall growth stands at 12.2%.
Detailed Breakdown of Voter Statistics
The 2022 electoral rolls contained nearly 79.2 lakh electors. That figure included over 41.1 lakh men, 38 lakh women, and 1,433 individuals in the 'others' category. While the base number remains smaller, the 'others' category has seen a 14% increase in the new draft.
Elections will take place across 8,044 polling stations distributed among 369 wards. Officials have organized the draft rolls using zone IDs for each corporation and ward IDs for individual wards.
Ward number 23 in Bengaluru West city corporation currently holds the highest number of electors at 49,530. In contrast, ward number 16 in Bengaluru East city corporation has the fewest with just 10,926 voters.
Verification and Correction Window Opens
Citizens now have an opportunity to check their names and request corrections. The verification period runs from January 20 to February 3. During this time, booth-level officers will visit households to confirm details.
Voters can submit claims and objections throughout this window. The commission will process these submissions from February 4 to 18. Final electoral rolls will be published on March 16.
No Special Intensive Revision Planned
The State Election Commission has decided against conducting a Special Intensive Revision for the GBA elections. Commissioner Sangreshi explained that the current correction period serves the same purpose.
"This period for objections and corrections is similar to SIR," Sangreshi stated. "We don't need to constitute a separate SIR team. We are encouraging citizens to make required changes during this window."
Sangreshi clarified that the SIR conducted during recent Bihar elections was initiated by the central poll agency, not state authorities.
Potential Impact of Pending Panchayat Polls
Apart from the GBA elections, Karnataka still needs to conduct zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat polls. These elections have been pending since 2021.
The High Court will hear a case on January 30 regarding an affidavit filed by the SEC against the government over election delays. Senior officials indicate that if the court directs immediate panchayat elections, those polls might receive priority.
This potential prioritization could delay GBA elections due to logistical challenges and time constraints. The commission must balance multiple electoral responsibilities across the state.
