Karnataka to hold all local body elections by December: CM D K Shivakumar

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, July 18, 2026: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said the state government will conduct all pending local body elections, including those to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), taluk panchayats, zilla panchayats, and gram panchayats, by December, following the Supreme Court’s order on the GBA polls.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Shivakumar welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision and said the state had earlier requested the court to postpone the GBA elections due to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.

"Now that the Supreme Court has passed its order, we will complete all local body elections by December," he said.

Cabinet expansion

Responding to questions on the long-pending Cabinet expansion, Shivakumar said the state’s senior Congress leaders had briefed the party’s central leadership on the matter.

"I will meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge once he calls me. We will proceed with the Cabinet expansion as per his advice," the chief minister said.

Earlier on Friday, Shivakumar held another round of discussions with Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala in New Delhi.

On Thursday, Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal, to discuss the Cabinet reshuffle.

A final decision on the expansion has been deferred until next week as Kharge had to leave for Bengaluru due to a family emergency.

The Karnataka Council of Ministers has a sanctioned strength of 34, including the chief minister. At present, the Cabinet has 14 members.