Citizens fear ward committees are being hijacked

The civic administration seems to be giving councillors the final say on the selection of members

June 15, 2017 09:19 pm | Updated 09:19 pm IST

Several citizen groups have launched campaigns urging Bengalureans to apply for seats in ward committees to ensure that they are not taken by cronies of councillors. But activists are wondering if their applications will be even considered, as the civic administration seems to be giving councillors the final say on the selection of members. This, citizens groups allege, will only make ward committees a proxy for councillors.

Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC) and organisations working for the urban poor have been getting people to apply for membership. CfB launched a social media campaign three days ago and got over 500 applicants and another 300 were nominated by other ward members. “We are working on a mass submission of applications on Friday morning to the BBMP commissioner,” said Srinivas Alavilli of CfB.

Group of unions working with the urban poor – street hawkers, domestic workers, slum residents and garment workers – have also submitted applications in over 30 wards.

Mayor G. Padmavathi and BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad, however, said that councillors will be consulted before nominating anybody to the ward committee. “Though councillors are not the final authority on composition of ward committees, their opinion will be sought,” Ms. Padmavathi said.

Mr. Prasad said that the BBMP has formed 129 of the 198 ward committees. Sources said members of all the 129 committees were suggested by the local councillors.

Vinay Sreenivasa of Alternate Law Forum said that none of those from the urban poor who had filed applications in 30 wards were considered. “The ward committees should be representative, ensuring urban poor too are on the committees. From the Mumbai experience where only the rich and middle class managed to be on the committees, none of the welfare issues concerning the poor were discussed. Our request to the mayor to correct this anomaly was not considered,” he said.

Kathyayini Chamaraj of CIVIC, which has been fighting for ward committees for over 20 years, said that authorities had reinterpreted the rules for formation of ward committee.

“The councillor is the chairperson of the ward committee. But if the chairperson has a veto on nomination of members, the purpose of forming the committee will be defeated,” she said adding that the BBMP should issue an advertisement calling for concerned citizens to apply, frame eligibility criteria by-laws and screening mechanisms.

However, the civic body has been finalising ward committees without soliciting applications from the public.

“We would call for applications if there was a shortage of nominees. However, that is not the case,” said Mr. Prasad.

Box

Deadline ends

The deadline set by the High Court to form all 198 ward committees ended on Thursday. However, committees are yet to be formed in 69 wards.

Quote pull outs

Though the councillor is not the final authority on composition of the ward committee, their opinion will be sought

G. Padmavathi,

Mayor

The councillor is the chairperson of the ward committee. But if the chairperson has a veto over nomination of members, the purpose will be defeated

Kathyayini Chamaraj,

CIVIC

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