BENGALURU: With the Legislative Council not in session, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Tuesday signed off on amendments to the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, giving more powers to BBMP Commissioner. With this, the chief can grant permissions for site plans and approve sanction plan.
The gazette notification on amending Section 299 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, was published on Wednesday. The ordinance will be called the Karnataka Municipal Corporations and Certain Other Law (Amendment Ordinance, 2021).
According to the notification, the Commissioner will grant permission to execute work with site plan, ground plan, elevations and sections of the building as per zoning regulations or building by-laws. The commissioner can also refuse to grant licences as per Section 303. He can also sanction, approve or grant commencement certificate and completion certificate as per the guidance value fixed by the Stamps and Registration Department.
The notification also states that the BBMP has the power to exempt or levy fee or reduce or change the levied fee in areas falling under its limits. It also states that no court shall enforce any decree or order directing refund of any such fee.
A senior BBMP official explained, “The need for making a special mention in the Act arose after some activists and citizens had approached the HC questioning where it was mentioned in the Municipal Act and on what basis was the BBMP collecting taxes and fee.”