Karnataka Government Appoints Administrators in 10 Uttara Kannada Urban Local Bodies, Including Bhatkal City Municipal Council

Karwar: The Karnataka government has appointed administrators to oversee 10 urban local bodies (ULBs) in Uttara Kannada district as the five-year terms of their elected councils come to an end. The decision, formalized through a gazette notification issued on November 6, 2025, aims to ensure smooth governance amid ongoing legal disputes and election delays.

The order, issued under Section 315 of the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964, authorizes the appointment of administrators to manage day-to-day affairs in the following local bodies, whose elected terms are expiring on the respective dates:

• Karwar City Municipal Council: Term expired November 2, 2025. Administrator: Deputy Commissioner, Karwar
• Sirsi City Municipal Council: Term expired November 1, 2025. Administrator: Deputy Commissioner, Karwar
• Ankola Town Municipality: Term expired October 13, 2025. Administrator: Assistant Commissioner, Kumta
• Dandeli City Municipal Council: Term expired November 1, 2025. Administrator: Deputy Commissioner, Karwar
• Bhatkal City Municipal Council: Term expires November 6, 2025. Administrator: Assistant Commissioner, Bhatkal
• Kumta Town Municipality: Term expires November 30, 2025. Administrator: Assistant Commissioner, Kumta

No town panchayats in the district are included in this phase, as the notification focuses on larger urban bodies.

The move follows a series of legal challenges over the state’s authority to appoint administrators after elected terms expire. In one such case. Writ Petition No. 27887/2025 — the Karnataka High Court issued an interim order barring the appointment of an administrator for Periyapatna Town Municipal Council in Mysuru district until its term ends. The ruling has led to similar delays in other districts, including Uttara Kannada.

Under Article 243-U of the Indian Constitution and Section 18 of the Karnataka Municipalities Act, municipal councils serve a fixed five-year term from the date of their first meeting. With terms expiring simultaneously across several ULBs most of which held elections in 2020 — the state government maintains that appointing administrators is necessary to avoid an administrative vacuum.

“This step ensures uninterrupted delivery of essential services such as water supply, sanitation, and infrastructure maintenance,” a senior Urban Development Department official said.

Local reactions have been mixed. While residents in towns like Karwar and Bhatkal have welcomed the move for maintaining administrative continuity, elected representatives have expressed frustration over delayed polls, saying it undermines the democratic process. Opposition parties have also criticized the government, alleging that the decision promotes bureaucratic control at the expense of elected governance.

Statewide, the government has appointed administrators in over 100 urban local bodies. Elections for these councils are expected once delimitation and reservation procedures are completed likely by early 2026.