BENGALURU: With the B S Patil-led committee on restructuring BBMP seeking six more months to submit its final report, speculation is that the civic body election may be delayed.
Hence, BJP is planning to approach the High Court seeking its intervention in holding the elections on time. The term of the present council ends in April.
Mayor Shanthakumari said they want the election to be held on time. “I am sure the government will purposely delay (the election) by a year or so,” she added. She however opposed the idea of dividing the civic body.
BJP leader in the Council N R Ramesh said the government has to conduct BBMP elections on time. “Both the Supreme Court and High Court have insisted that local body elections should be conducted without an interval. As our term comes to end on April 23, elections should be conducted and results declared before this date,” he said.
He added that after January 23, they are planning to approach the High Court. “With three months left, we will raise questions in court on the preparation done by the State government related to delimitation and other ground works,” he said.
If the High Court directs the State government, it has to conduct the election on time he said, adding, “We have already discussed the same with our legal adviser.”
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a photo exhibition on former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajapayee organised by BBMP on Wednesday, District In-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy clarified that the State government is keen on conducting the election on time.
Later, he told Express that though the B S Patil committee has sought six more months, it is for Chief Minister Siddaramiah to decide. “He might give time or he might ask them to submit the report much earlier. Once it is done, we do not need much time. All we need to do is work on delimitation and ward reservation, which can be done in 15 days. Election will be conducted on time or it might be delayed by a couple of months, but not more than that,” he added.
Senior Congress councillor M K Gunashekar said, “The B S Patil committee will submit its report by June and our term ends in April. Hence, election will be delayed by two to three months.”