Karnataka considering deferring BBMP polls, increasing wards in Bengaluru to 225

With the Bengaluru civic body polls around the corner, the Karnataka cabinet on Thursday discussed increasing the number of wards under Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) from 198 to 225. It also discussed seeking permission from the High Court, about postponing the polls, in case the ward delimitation has to happen.

“We have discussed increasing the number of wards under BBMP, we will have a separate meeting for it. According to a thinking it has to be 225 wards from 198 wards now,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy said.

Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, he said a joint select committee of the legislature is looking into the BBMP bill that the government had placed before the assembly, and so the matter will be raised at the committee meeting and accordingly a decision taken.

“But, the government’s thinking is the number of wards should be increased, for about 40,000-42,000 population there should be a award,” he said.

“If the ward delimitation has to happen we will have to seek permission from the court to postpone the elections for some time, as the term (of current BBMP council) ends later this month, we will have approach court before that.”

To a question, whether areas under BBMP will be increased while increasing the number of wards, the minister said, more areas will get added and more parts of Bengaluru will be considered.

The number of zones will increase from the current 8 to 15. “All these things will be discussed at the joint select committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow,” he added.

The BJP government at the last moment during the assembly session in March had introduced The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Bill that promises a 5-year mayoral term, area sabhas, among other reforms. It was subsequently referred to the Joint Select Committee headed by BJP MLA S Raghu.

Pointing out that question hour has been cancelled for the upcoming Parliament session, Madhuswamy said, what has to be done in the state assembly, it will be discussed at the business advisory committee meeting.

Amid opposition’s criticism to the government’s plans to introduce about 30 bills during the coming assembly session, he said there are about 18-20 ordinance replacement bills for this session and there is a plan to introduce another 8-10 bills.

This will be discussed at the business advisory committee meeting on the first day of the session and bills will be introduced after taking everyone into confidence, he said.

Monsoon session of the legislature will be held from September 21 to 30.

Source: NM