Bengaluru’s civic administration has entered a new phase with the enforcement of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024. The law, which came into effect on May 15, 2025, formally dissolves the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and replaces it with a new metropolitan structure under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).
The government issued the final notification on September 2 after considering 55 objections and suggestions from the public. The transition process began in May, and the move is being described as one of the most significant reforms in the city’s governance model in decades.
The GBA, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as President and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar as Vice-President, will be responsible for civic services, health, infrastructure, and urban planning. The restructuring also absorbs 15 town bodies, five city municipal councils, and adjoining gram panchayats into a unified metropolitan framework.
Deputy CM Shivakumar confirmed that the GBA has begun functioning and clarified that Bengaluru’s name remains unchanged. He further announced that a ward delimitation notification will be released on November 1, 2025, with a Delimitation Commission already in place. The new structure will expand divisions from 70 to 150, potentially creating more than 500 leadership roles within the city’s civic administration.
As part of the reorganization, Bengaluru will be managed through five corporations—Central, East, West, North, and South—each further divided into two zones, making a total of ten. Though mapped largely along Assembly constituencies, some wards will be split across different corporations to balance governance and resources.
The reform comes after years of debate on the city’s management. A 2020 study had flagged major shortcomings in urban governance, prompting the government to appoint a high-level committee under Chief Secretary B.S. Patil in 2023. Following extensive consultations, the panel’s recommendations were adopted, leading to the Cabinet’s approval of the legislation in 2024.
Officials believe the new governance model will enhance coordination between agencies, strengthen long-term infrastructure planning, and ensure more equitable development across Bengaluru and its neighboring towns.
