The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMC) is in charge of civic administration of the city and is run by a city council. This council comprises of elected members called 'corporators' who represent each of the localities. Elections are held every once in five years and members are chosen by popular vote. A Mayor and Commissioner of the Council are also elected. As capital of the state of Karnataka, Bangalore is home to important state government facilities like the Karnataka High Court, Vidhana Sabha (Karnataka State Legislature) and Raj Bhavan (residence of the Governor of Karnataka). Bangalore has two members to India's lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha and 24 members to the Karnataka State Assembly. In 2007, the Delimitation Commission of India reorganised the constituencies and thus the number of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in Bangalore has been increased to 28 and 3 respectively.

India is the most populous democracy in the world. For most of its democratic history, it has been led by the Indian Congress Party. The Constitution of India is the longest constitution of any other nation in the world. It defines India as a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic. India operates under a Westminster-style parliamentary system. The President of India is the head of state. While he holds substantial reserve powers, the Presidential role is largely ceremonial.

The Constitution authorises the Parliament of India to oversee the operation of the government. The parliament in turn consists of two houses, The Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the People). The Council of Ministers is held responsible to the Lok Sabha. India is divided into 28 states and seven union territories. Each state has its own elected government while Union Territories are governed by an administrator appointed by the central government. The states' chief minister is the official head of his state and is responsible to the legislatures in the same way the prime minister is responsible to parliament.