The three-member expert committee formed to look into restructuring of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has sought time to submit a final report, raising questions on whether the elections to the local body will be conducted as per schedule.
While the term of the current council in BBMP is set to end in April 2015, the State Election Commission has scheduled a consultation on holding elections on December 29. Though the sitting and former councillors are favouring elections as per schedule, some legislators are opposed to timely elections, sources in BBMP said. “In the absence of a council, legislators become powerful. So they want to scuttle elections,” sources said.
Meanwhile, former Mayor P.R. Ramesh, who fought a legal battle seeking elections to BBMP before the current council was formed in April 2010, said that the decision to bifurcate or trifurcate the civic body can be taken only after due consultations. “However, since this process is going to take time, the elections may be conducted as scheduled, as per Constitutional provisions.”
Former Mayor and Basavanagudi councillor B.S. Sathyanarayana also maintained that if the government had the will, the election to BBMP could be conducted as per schedule. “If there is a will, the decision on division of BBMP can be taken soon. Once that is done, the exercise of delimitation of wards and fixing categories can be taken up,” he said.
