Karnataka govt seeks more time for BBMP election

The Karnataka government on Wednesday informed the High Court that it needs more time to conduct the elections to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The Karnataka government on Wednesday informed the High Court that it needs more time to conduct the elections to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Additional Advocate General Dhyan Chinnappa on Wednesday informed a single judge bench of the High Court that information has been sought from the Justice Bhaktavatsala Committee regarding the Backward Classes reservation. The Commission has sought time to provide the details.

The last BBMP polls were held in November 2015. (HT Archives)

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Therefore, three months should be granted for the same. The HC on Wednesday adjourned the hearing to December 6. In November nov 2015 last held, tenure ended nov 2020. The HC on September 30 had set aside the August 3 reservation list of the state government and ordered a fresh list to be prepared by November 30.

It had also directed the State Election Commission to conduct polls to the civic body before December 31. Earlier this year in May, the Supreme Court, while hearing the case between Madhya Pradesh government and petitioner Suresh Mahajan, directed that elections to all local bodies pending in the country should be conducted without any delay.

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This resulted in the Karnataka SEC approaching the High Court to dispose a pending case about the election. Challenges to the reservation list and delimitation of wards made by the state government further delayed the process. The last BBMP polls were held in November 2015 and the tenure of the civic body ended in November 2020. Assembly elections in Karnataka are slated to be held in early 2023.