Preparations for Karnataka panchayat elections have gained momentum after the state Cabinet approved administrative expenditure for ballot boxes and live webcasting of the polling process.
The Cabinet has approved Rs 151.31 crore for arrangements connected with the upcoming elections to gram panchayats, taluk panchayats and zilla panchayats. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru.
The elections are being planned for completion by December. The terms of several rural local bodies have already ended, making the upcoming polls an important step in restoring elected local bodies across Karnataka. The last gram panchayat elections were held in December 2020, while taluk and zilla panchayat elections have been pending since 2021.
One of the major changes will be the voting method. Instead of electronic voting machines, voters in these rural local body elections are expected to cast their votes using paper ballots placed in ballot boxes.
The Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act was amended earlier this year to provide for a secret ballot paper system in rural local body elections. The change provides the legal framework for conducting these elections through paper ballots.
Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said after the Cabinet meeting that the government intends to complete the panchayat elections by December. He also said the approved expenditure would cover the procurement of ballot boxes and live webcasting arrangements.
The latest Cabinet decision also provides a practical indication of the preparations underway. The state is not only setting a broad timeline for the elections but is also beginning to arrange the equipment and technology needed for polling.
Live webcasting is expected to be part of the election arrangements, with the government allocating funds for the system alongside the purchase of ballot boxes. The measure is intended to provide live monitoring of polling activities at selected locations.
The State Election Commission will have an important role in taking the election process forward once the required preparations are completed. The Karnataka High Court recently noted that ward formation and seat reservation had been completed for all 5,864 gram panchayats and that further steps for conducting the elections could be taken by the State Election Commission.
The timing of the elections is also connected to the ongoing revision of electoral rolls. Reports indicate that the panchayat polls are expected to be held after the completion of the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists.
The Cabinet decision comes at a time when political parties are also beginning to prepare for the upcoming local body contests. The Congress has recently held a meeting with its newly appointed district presidents as part of its organisational preparations for local elections.
Senior Congress leaders, including AICC general secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, along with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and other leaders, took part in discussions with the new district chiefs, according to reports. The meeting included discussions about strengthening party organisation and preparing for upcoming elections.
The discussions reportedly covered several election related tasks, including identifying potential candidates, strengthening local level organisation and planning campaign activities. Party leaders have asked district units to begin preparations ahead of the local body elections expected later this year.
The election preparations are unfolding against the backdrop of an earlier political debate over the use of EVMs. The Karnataka Assembly passed the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Amendment Bill in March, providing for ballot papers in rural local body elections. Opposition legislators criticised the move at the time, while the government proceeded with the legislative change.
The legislation subsequently received approval as the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Amendment Act 2026, providing for a secret ballot paper system in elections to rural local authorities.
With the Cabinet now approving funds for ballot boxes and webcasting, preparations have moved into a more operational stage. The next steps will involve election authorities completing the remaining arrangements and announcing the formal election schedule.
For voters, the final notification from the State Election Commission will be important because it will provide the exact polling dates, nomination schedule and other election related details.
The upcoming elections will cover three levels of rural local government. Gram panchayats operate at the village level, while taluk and zilla panchayats form the next levels of the rural local governance structure.
The proposed December deadline therefore represents a significant administrative target for Karnataka. Much will depend on the completion of electoral roll related work, reservation arrangements and other preparations required before polling can officially begin.
For now, the Cabinet approval of Rs 151.31 crore, the move towards paper ballots and the planned use of live webcasting mark the latest developments in Karnataka’s preparations for the rural local body elections.
