Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that the long-pending elections for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) must be conducted in May, irrespective of any challenges. The last time Bengaluru elected a municipal council was in September 2020, over four years ago.
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Addressing concerns over the delay, Reddy defended the Congress-led government, attributing the postponement to plans for establishing a Greater Bengaluru Authority. He reiterated that the elections must take place in May to avoid possible intervention by the Supreme Court, which could issue directives for conducting the polls.
Reddy recalled that previous Congress-led administrations ensured timely municipal elections, citing the examples of S M Krishna’s tenure in 2001 and Siddaramaiah’s leadership in 2015. He, however, criticized the BJP for repeatedly delaying local elections when in power. “In 2008, under BJP rule, municipal elections were postponed for nearly three years. Similarly, the BJP government in 2020 failed to hold the elections on time,” he alleged.
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What is Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill?
{{/usCountry}}Also Read - Karnataka bus staff beaten over language dispute, told to learn Marathi. Watch video
What is Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill?
{{/usCountry}}The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, introduced last year, was referred to a joint select committee led by Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad. This committee is expected to submit its report to Assembly Speaker U T Khader on Monday.
The proposed bill aims to revamp Bengaluru’s civic administration by permitting the creation of up to 10 municipal corporations within the city. Reddy emphasized the need for multiple corporations, arguing that a single governing body is inadequate to manage Bengaluru’s expanding needs.
“One commissioner cannot efficiently oversee the entire city. To ensure better civic infrastructure, such as roads, streetlights, parks, playgrounds, and stormwater drains, Bengaluru requires at least two or three municipal corporations,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has urged Congress leaders and party workers to prepare for the forthcoming local body elections, including the BBMP polls, as they could be announced at any time.
“Since the elections can be declared at any moment, we must be fully prepared. I will establish region-specific committees for local body polls, including zilla panchayats, taluk panchayats, and municipal corporations. These committees, headed by the party’s working presidents and vice presidents, will visit different regions before March to coordinate efforts, oversee seat reservations, finalize candidates, and submit reports on their findings,” he said.