Overview
- Ward-wise draft electoral rolls for all 369 wards were published on January 19, with claims accepted January 20–February 3, disposal February 4–18, and final rolls due March 16.
- The State Election Commission gave no specific operational reason for reverting to paper, saying the law permits ballots and citing Supreme Court observations.
- The draft lists 88.91 lakh voters across five city corporations, with Bengaluru West accounting for the largest share at 27.25 lakh.
- The previous civic elections in 2015 used EVMs, and Bengaluru has been under an administrator since the council’s term ended in September 2020.
- The shift aligns with a recommendation made last year by the Siddaramaiah-led state cabinet to use ballot papers for local polls.