The Karnataka State Election Commission (SEC) has announced a significant shift for the upcoming Bengaluru civic polls, opting to use ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). This decision applies to elections for the five newly formed city corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and also for the forthcoming zilla and taluk panchayat elections across the state. State Election Commissioner G.S. Sangreshi confirmed on Monday, January 19, 2026, that the GBA Act permits the use of either method, and the commission, after consultations, chose ballot papers, an older but still valid procedure used in various local elections and some developed countries. Simultaneously, the draft electoral rolls for the GBA polls have been published, revealing a total of 88.91 lakh voters across 369 wards. Bengaluru West City Corporation holds the highest number of voters at 27.25 lakh. The SEC has initiated a period for citizens to file claims and objections regarding the draft rolls from January 20 to February 3, 2026, with the final electoral rolls set to be published on March 16, 2026. The Supreme Court recently intervened, directing the Karnataka government and the SEC to ensure the completion of these local body elections by June 30, 2026. Consequently, the civic polls are tentatively scheduled to be held after May 25, 2026, following the conclusion of SSLC and PUC examinations to facilitate the availability of schools and colleges as polling stations. The erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was reorganized into five separate municipal corporations under the GBA in September 2025, after its elected council's term expired in September 2020. The decision to revert to ballot papers comes amidst ongoing national discussions regarding the reliability of EVMs, although the SEC maintains its constitutional independence in choosing the voting method.