High Court toughens stand on BBMP election

 The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday orally indicated that it would take a tough stand against the State Government if elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) were not held by July 31, 2009.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran and Justice V.G. Sabhahit made the observation when it was hearing a public interest litigation petition by a resident of Bangalore on the delimitation of BBMP wards.

The petitioner, B.K. Venkatesh, wanted the court to quash a notification by the State Government modifying the guidelines prescribing average population to each ward in Bangalore. He also wanted the ordinance increasing the number of wards from 100 to 198 to be quashed. He apprehended that the delimitation exercise could be used as a ploy by the State Government to postpone the elections. He said the State had issued a notification on June 4, 2009 by which the guidelines for preparing the wards based on the average population has been modified. Besides, on June 17 2009, the authorities had also published a draft of the delimitation process.

An ordinance was issued under the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act by which the number of seats have been increased from 100 to 198. The ordinance was violative of the Constitution and was liable to be quashed, he said.

The Bench admitted the petition and ordered issue of notices to the State and other respondents. It also asked both the State and the BBMP to file their objections. It orally observed that it would initiate suo motu contempt proceedings in case the elections were not held by July 31.