Karnataka Politics & Governance

Bengaluru launches legacy-waste and vacant-site clean-up campaign

1 August 2026

Bengaluru launched its “Freedom from Waste” campaign to clear accumulated construction debris and other legacy waste from public places and vacant sites. An initial survey identified about 22,000 tonnes at 1,616 locations; vacant-site owners were initially asked to clean their plots by 15 August, with civic clean-up costs recoverable through property tax. The deadline was later extended to 22 August, and a municipal clean-up operation was planned.

Key Facts

• The waste hierarchy prioritises reducing waste, reusing materials and recycling them over disposal.

APMC team inspects Ballari sites amid auction-pricing allegations

1 August 2026

A three-member APMC Directorate team inspected sites in Ballari following allegations that plots had been auctioned below market value. The team leader said the plots had been auctioned at ₹1,210 per square foot, compared with a 2023 guidance value of ₹806, and that no apparent irregularity had been found in the preliminary inspection. A detailed report was to be submitted to the Directorate.

Key Facts

• State-established APMCs are intended to protect farmers from exploitation by large retailers.

National Mediation 3.0 begins across Karnataka courts

1 August 2026

National Mediation 3.0 began in district and taluk courts across Karnataka under the direction of the National Legal Services Authority and the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority. The campaign offers mediation for eligible pending civil and compoundable criminal disputes, including bank recovery, cheque dishonour, family disputes other than divorce cases, and motor accident claims.

Key Facts

• Mediation uses a neutral facilitator to help parties negotiate settlement rather than having a judge impose an outcome.

Karnataka all-party meeting discusses Cauvery water dispute

2 August 2026

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar chaired an all-party meeting in Bengaluru on the Cauvery water dispute, attended by state and national representatives, former chief ministers and officials. Participants discussed prioritising drinking-water needs, protecting farmers’ interests and seeking a distress-sharing formula; former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai also called for pursuing the Mekedatu project. These were positions raised at the meeting, not reported as adopted decisions.

Key Facts

• The Cauvery Water Management Authority monitors water releases under the interstate water-sharing framework.

Karnataka conducts police constable examination for 3,991 posts

2 August 2026

The Karnataka Examinations Authority conducted a written examination for 3,991 civil police constable posts at 884 centres across the state. A total of 4,54,532 candidates had registered. Candidates reported disruptions at some centres, while the authority clarified that question-paper and OMR serial numbers were not required to match.

Key Facts

• For this examination, OMR answer sheets were arranged to be scanned and uploaded online at six locations outside Bengaluru.

Assembly Secretariat restores Vinay Kulkarni’s MLA membership

3 August 2026

The Karnataka Assembly Secretariat restored Dharwad Rural MLA Vinay Kulkarni’s membership after the Karnataka High Court suspended his conviction and life sentence in the Yogesh Gowda murder case pending appeal. The restoration followed the court order and was not an acquittal; the appeal remains to be decided.

Key Facts

• The Karnataka High Court hears appeals from lower courts, including district-level civil and sessions courts.

Nineteen ministers take oath in Karnataka Cabinet expansion

3 August 2026

Nineteen legislators took oath as ministers at a ceremony at Lok Bhavan, with Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot administering the oath. The expansion brought the Cabinet led by Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar to 33 members.

Key Facts

• Although the Governor is the ceremonial head, the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers handle day-to-day state governance.

Tamil Nadu moves Supreme Court over Cauvery water releases

3 August 2026

Tamil Nadu filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking directions for Karnataka to release Cauvery water, alleging that Karnataka had not complied with directions from the Cauvery water authorities. The CWRC had directed a daily flow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu from 29 July to 12 August, and the CWMA affirmed that direction.

Key Facts

• The Union government constituted the CWMA and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee in 2018 to monitor Cauvery water releases.

High Court stays SIT probe into alleged government-land encroachment

3 August 2026

The Karnataka High Court issued an interim stay on the state government’s order forming an SIT to investigate alleged government-land encroachment by the Ved Vignan ...