[3][4][5] HDMC consists of 82 elected members from four Vidhan Sabha constituencies of Hubballi-Dharwad.

There has been a huge demand by people of Dharwad to create a separate civic body and get itself detached by HDMC.

The winning party elects a council of members, who are responsible for various departments.

The Commissioner is the highest officer of Municipal Corporate Office, who is responsible for the departments of public works, revenue and tax, water supply, planning and development, fire brigade, health and sanitation, finance and accounts etc.

In the year 1962, a unique experiment in urban development was conducted by The Directorate of Municipal Administration, Karnataka by combining two cities separated by a distance of 20 kilometers.

BJP emerged as single largest party in 2021 HDMC elections by winning 39 of 82 seats.

INC accused AIMIM for splitting Minority votes and making way for BJP's victory.

[19][20][21] The demand was acknowledged by Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on 25 August 2021 who opined that Dharwad deserved a separate municipal corporation.

[22] In July 2024 the demand for creation of an exclusive municipal corporation for Dharwad city surfaced again with citizens urging state govt to make an announcement of the same during the monsoon session of state legislature, which was on 15 July 2024.