On May 13, 2026, D. K. Shivakumar (Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka) introduced the 'Bhu Guarantee' as part of the Congress government's efforts to streamline property regularization in Bengaluru. This initiative includes a significant reduction in the conversion cost from 5% to 2% for properties transitioning from B khata to A khata, with a 100-day application window starting May 16. Additionally, the government will halve the regularization cost for properties built on Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) land before 2008, impacting around one lakh properties. Shivakumar also announced the distribution of 18,000 sites to 3,500 land losers for the Shivaram Karanth Layout and the introduction of new setback rules for property development. These announcements come as Bengaluru prepares for long-awaited civic elections, with the Karnataka State Election Commission seeking to extend the election timeline to September 30. The previous council's term expired in September 2020, and no elections have been held since.