Govt. can launch new schemes as SEC withdraws code of conduct

The new deadline to complete the elections to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is now August 28 instead of the earlier deadline of August 5 due to extension of time granted by the Supreme Court in its Friday’s order.

This has “helped” the State government to announce and implement new schemes or projects for the city as the State Election Commission (SEC), quoting the Apex Court’s order, has on Saturday withdrawn the calendar of events issued on June 26 for holding elections to the BBMP on July 28.

Consequently, the model code of conduct, which had come into force from June 26,, has also been lifted.

Now the SEC is likely to issue a fresh calendar of events between July 17 and 21 as it requires around 35-40 days to complete the election process from the date of announcement of calendar of events, said sources from the SEC.

The deadlines for addition of names to the electoral rolls would also be postponed due to the order, said P.N. Sreenivasachary, State Election Commissioner.

‘No written order’

The SEC could have gone ahead with BBMP elections as per the schedule announced on June 26 as the Supreme Court dismissed the government’s appeal against Karnataka High Court’s order, which had rejected the State’s plea to carry out delimitation of BBMP wards and complete elections by August 5.

However, the SEC has chosen to withdraw the calendar of events as the Supreme Court’s Bench headed by the Chief Justice H.L. Dattu had orally told SEC’s counsel to issue a fresh calendar.

“When the Supreme Court granted eight weeks’ time to complete elections, I had requested the Bench that existing calendar of events can be continued but the Bench had orally told me that the SEC has to issue fresh calendar of events,” said SEC’s counsel K.N. Phanidra while pointing out there is no specific direction in this regard in the Apex Court’s written order. While granting eight weeks’ time from July 4 to complete elections process, the Supreme Court had “deleted the costs and the strictures imposed on the State and its officials/authorities” by the High Court.

August 28 is the new deadline to conduct BBMP elections

The deadlines for adding names to electoral rolls also extended