The civic administration of the city is handled by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), established in 1994. The BMC is governed by a mayor-council system, where the city is divided into multiple wards (currently over 60), each electing a corporator. The Mayor is the ceremonial head of the corporation, while a state-appointed Municipal Commissioner serves as the executive head, overseeing day-to-day civic operations.
As the capital of Odisha, Bhubaneswar hosts the state's most vital political institutions, including the Odisha Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha), the State Secretariat (Lok Seva Bhavan), and the official residences of the Governor and the Chief Minister. Law enforcement is managed by the Commissionerate Police of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack.
