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New Delhi: The Karnataka government’s restructuring of Bengaluru’s civic administration under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has come under fresh debate, with political leaders and observers calling for a reduction in the number of civic corporations from five to two.

The Greater Bengaluru Authority replaced the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) about a year ago, creating five separate municipal corporations to improve governance and support the city’s planned expansion.

However, the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has sparked concerns over the viability of maintaining all five corporations. According to estimates, nearly 50 lakh of Bengaluru’s 1.03 crore registered voters could be excluded from the electoral rolls following the revision, leading to questions over whether five civic bodies are still necessary for the remaining population.

Administrative and financial challenges have also added to the debate. Several of the newly created corporations are reportedly finding it difficult to meet operational expenses, including salaries of officials and employees, as well as other administrative costs.

Leaders from both the ruling party and the opposition have suggested that merging the existing five corporations into two larger civic bodies could improve administrative efficiency and reduce financial burdens.

The division of Bengaluru into five municipal corporations has remained a contentious issue since its implementation, drawing both support and criticism. With the electoral roll revision bringing fresh attention to the city’s administrative structure, the proposal to merge some of the corporations has once again moved to the forefront.

The Karnataka government is yet to indicate whether it will reconsider the current structure or retain the existing five-corporation model.