“We will complete all local body elections by December”: Karnataka CM after SC extends GBA poll timeline due to SIR

New Delhi [India], July 17 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said the state government is committed to holding the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections in December, following the Supreme Court's decision to extend the timeline due to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
He also said the government aims to complete elections to all local bodies, including Zilla Panchayats, Taluk Panchayats, Gram Panchayats, and municipal corporations, by the end of this year.
Speaking to the reporters in the national capital, Karnataka CM said, "AICC office is our temple. We have grown with this. It is my duty to come and meet the General Secretary in the temple itself... Today there was a big decision in the Supreme Court on the local body elections of Bangalore GBA... We at no point of time will postpone it."
"We will complete not only this election, all the Zilla Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, and Gram Panchayat and all the municipal corporations; I will see that by this December, all the elections will be completed. My duty is to see that all the young new people are given an opportunity," he further said.
His remark comes after the Supreme Court allowed more time to conduct elections to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), which comprises five municipal corporations, in view of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The court directed that the civic body elections be held in December. Earlier, it had extended the deadline for the elections from June 30 to August 31.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission extended the deadlines for the enumeration period and subsequently the publication of the final list in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi, Punjab, Telangana and Karnataka.
In the national capital and Karnataka, the enumeration period has been extended from July 29 to August 8. The draft electoral rolls will now be published on August 17 against the previous deadline of August 5.
The claims and objection period will be August 17 to September 16, and the final lists will be published on October 19, 12 days after the previous deadline of October 7. (ANI)