Governance

Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and three other states are scheduled for 2026. Close on the heels of the Bihar elections, where the Election Commission of India (ECI) conducted a Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the ECI has now announced that all poll-bound states and union territories will undergo a similar revision exercise. Form distribution has already begun in the Chennai district, and according to the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), as of now, more than 40% residents have been covered in this exercise.  This makes it essential for every eligible voter in Tamil Nadu to verify their inclusion in the…

On October 15th, the Karnataka government released the Draft Karnataka Domestic Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2025, for public consultation. This move follows the Supreme Court’s directive calling for a well-defined legal framework to safeguard and regulate the rights of domestic workers. Stakeholders have welcomed the state government's proposed legislation, but concerns remain about key provisions in the draft bill. Domestic workers' unions and Bengaluru apartment groups have addressed a letter to the Karnataka Labour Minister highlighting these issues, including insights from an Oorvani Foundation roundtable. Also, scroll further down for a report on citizen feedback gathered by Civis through a public…

The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) released a draft ward delimitation plan that restructures Bengaluru into five municipal zones—Central, South, East, West, and North. This marks a major shift in how the city will be governed, represented, and serviced. The new boundaries will impact every neighbourhood’s access to civic infrastructure, political representation, and administrative coordination. Oorvani Foundation and Citizen Matters have been tracking this issue for years, and as a part of our flagship programme, Citizen Clinic, we crowdsourced queries and concerns from residents and civic groups. These have been addressed by Vachana V R, Associate Director - Policy, Jana Urban Space…

“I haven’t received a single benefit from the welfare board. Every time I apply, the reason for rejection changes, without any clear explanation. I’m tired of running around,” says Sendhil K, a construction worker from Kolar with 15 years of experience, currently working in Bengaluru. He had applied for scholarship benefits for his two children studying in the city. He also claims he hasn’t received any welfare kits issued by the Board or the COVID-19 relief funds. Now, he says, he’s lost all hope of ever receiving support, including a pension after retirement. Retired construction worker Prabhakaran's experience is no…

As of September 2nd, 2025, Bengaluru transitioned into a new urban governance system based on the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024. This Act implements a three-tier structure: The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA): It is chaired by the Chief Minister and comprises all Karnataka ministers and Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assembly and Council from Bengaluru, as well as the mayors of the five newly formed City Corporations. Its primary role is to harmonise planning, development, and service delivery by all the departments and agencies across the five City Corporations. Five City Corporations: The city is divided into five smaller…

A collective of various voluntary groups, civil society organisations, activists, educators and students has demanded urgent state-led action to uphold the right to shelter and dignity for persons living on the streets in Tamil Nadu. This campaign has been initiated by the Information and Resource Centre of the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC) and other NGOs in Chennai and across the State, to support homeless people, whose lives are jeopardised by the absence of a dedicated state programme. Here are the recommendations put forward as part of the campaign: State-wide recommendations Tamil Nadu must urgently evolve a state-specific scheme for persons…

“The impact of childhood trauma still haunts me. I was a very extroverted child, but as I began to feel different, I became introverted. This took a serious toll on my self-esteem,” says Shivv Pandey, a trans man and Bengaluru-based activist. Like Shivv, many transgender individuals carry unresolved trauma into adulthood, with limited access to even basic mental health support. As they struggle to survive in a hostile society, their mental health remains neglected, overlooked in policies, support systems, and even within their personal lives. In an earlier article, we highlighted the lack of psychological support for transgender youth in…

Democracy is more than just the right to vote or stand for office; it’s about empowering citizens to influence the policies and decisions that shape their daily lives. For a government to be truly responsive, citizen engagement must be at the core of the law-making process. In this system, policies should be crafted not only for the people but with the people, reflecting their concerns and aspirations. Public consultations are vital in strengthening democracy by ensuring policies reflect the needs of those they impact. In February 2021, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) incorporated feedback from Mumbaikars during the city's annual…

Housing has become a battleground in Bengaluru, where developers target every profitable corner of the city. The Ejipura EWS housing complex stands as a stark example of this. A site once home to urban poor families, this was violently cleared in 2013-14 following a Karnataka High Court order. The court order resulted in the demolition of the quarters and the subsequent eviction of the occupants. The legality of the eviction and the delay in redevelopment continue to throw up important questions, but equally urgent is a focus on the lives of the evicted families, many of whom moved to Sulikunte…

Every time the city floods, which is every year, Mumbaikars find their own ways to deal with it. Despite preventive measures by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), such as desilting storm water drains or making underground water storage tanks, besides putting up pumping machines, floods continue to be a monsoon routine for Mumbai. Rich or poor, slum dwellers or high risers, there is no escaping the impact of floods on the lives and livelihoods of Mumbaikars. And as we saw in our earlier story, those who have their homes on the periphery of rivers like Dahisar are often the worst…