The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BBMP polls: HC gives four more months

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Tuesday, Nov 11, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BBMP polls: HC gives four more months

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Monday gave four more months to the State Government to conduct elections to the Bruhut Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The court, however, made it clear that there shall not be any further extension of time to the Government for holding civic elections.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran and Justice V.G. Sabhahit passed the order on a petition by the former Mayor and Congress leader P.R. Ramesh seeking a direction to the State Government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to expeditiously hold elections to the civic body.

The petitioner said an earlier Division Bench had allowed a petition by him on July 2, 2008 and directed the State and others to hold elections within three months. Though the three-month time frame had expired, no action had been taken to obey the court order.

Appearing for the State, Advocate-General Uday Holla said four more months was needed to complete the process of delimitation of wards and reservation of posts. Once these procedures were completed, they would be submitted to the SEC, which in turn would conduct revision of electoral rolls and then hold elections.

He said the State needed more time as the territorial jurisdiction of BBMP had increased to 510 km. With the BBMP having come into force, the population had increased to 58 lakhs.

The SEC, in its application, said it would require a minimum of two months time after the delimitation of wards for preparing the voters list.

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