Opposition parties slammed yet another delay in conducting civic polls.

Former BBMP ruling party leader N.R. Ramesh said it was “shameful” that the civic polls were being delayed again and again. He claimed the five-corporation model itself had failed, pointing out that there was no proper balance in ward populations while delimitation was done, with one ward having only 9,600 people, while another had more than 54,000. He also said that even months after the formation of the GBA framework, the required infrastructure is still not ready, while fresh reasons are being cited to postpone the elections. He said the BJP is prepared for the polls, but the Congress is not.

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP), said Bengaluru has not had an elected city government since 2020 and accused the State government of repeatedly delaying the polls. BNP said the city has been run only by bureaucrats for years, which has led to poor civic administration and infrastructure, and demanded that elections be held within the court-set deadline. 

Rishvanjas Rishi Raghavan, Youth Wing leader of the BNP, said Bengaluru had been denied “the most basic layer of democracy” for nearly six years, as citizens were left without elected councillors they could hold accountable. “Through garbage crises, flooding, broken roads and failing footpaths, we have had no councillor to question,” he said.

Calling the Supreme Court’s extension till August 31 the final indulgence, he requested the State government and Election Commission to treat the deadline as final. 

No one from the Congress was available for comment.