Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has declined to grant an interim stay against the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ward delimitation, saying that the petitions could be heard and disposed of before September 22.

The State Election Commission (SEC) informed the HC that the final list of voters would be published on September 22 and the election process would commence only after that. Justice Hemant Chandangoudar therefore adjourned the hearing to September 8. The court said that the petitions could be heard and disposed of before September 22 and so there was no need to hear the plea on interim stay. The court is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the delimitation exercise carried out by the civic body. As per the new BBMP Act the number of wards in the city has been increased from 198 to 243.

Several petitions have been filed before the HC, each of them challenging the validity of wards delimited in different assembly segments.

The issue had reached the Supreme Court after the HC had directed the petitioners to get the issue clarified whether it could decide the matter. Last week, the SC had ruled that the high court could decide the case.

The SEC is of the view the election process cannot be stayed even if there are defects in the delimitation exercise. All the petitioners are challenging the defects in the delimitation process and asking for their change before the election. The petitioners included former corporates and future aspirants.