The High Court of Karnataka on Friday cautioned the State government that it may have to impose “heavy cost” if the government failed to submit to the State Election Commission (SEC) by April 1 the final list of wards after completing the delimitation process and the list of reservation of wards of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.
We may have to direct the State government to pay a cost of ₹5 lakh per day for every day’s delay from April 1 for submitting the final list of the wards after delimitation and the list of reservation, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi made this observation during the hearing of a PIL petition, filed by the SEC.
The commission has sought direction to the government to submit the list of wards and reservation of wards at the earliest for timely conduct of election to the BBMP before the term of its council expires on September 10.
Noting that the SEC needs times of four months to finalise the elector list based on ward delimitation, and one month for completing the election process, the Bench observed that the SEC needs five months, from April 1 to August 30, to complete its constitutional obligations. Hence, the Bench said, the government must complete both the delimitation of wards and the reservation of wards by April 1.
While giving one more opportunity to the government to give time schedule for completing the process, the Bench adjourned further hearing till next week.
