BBMP’s fate: Karnataka High Court to rule tomorrow

BENGALURU: After hearing the state government’s appeal challenging the order to conduct election to BBMP before May 30, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday posted the appeal for judgment to April 24. The division bench headed by Chief Justice D.H. Waghela, further directed the state election commission, not to announce the calendar of events for conducting poll to the civic body, till then.

As the high court took up hearing of the appeal on Wednesday, the state government represented by Advocate General submitted that the state has decided to conduct elections within six months as per the constitutional provisions and that the elections process will be completed within six months.

The election commission advocate strongly argued before the court that it has already initiated the process towards conducting the poll, including preparing the voters list, appointing of observers and nodal officers., and that the announcement of calendar of events is the only pending event.

Council chair holds key

The role of Chairman of the Legislative Council, D.H. Shankaramurthy, is going to be critical when the upper House meets again on Thursday to debate the Karnataka Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2015, as ruling party legislators wait to see whether he would refer the Bill to a joint select committee, as demanded by the combined Opposition, or allow its rejection.

With MLCs of JD (S) and BJP determined to demand that the Bill be submitted to the joint select committee, a move which would hold up the state government's plan to divide BBMP for at least a couple of months, Congress legislators are hoping that the Karnataka HC could give them much-needed relief on Friday. The other hope, albeit remote, could be a ruling by Mr Shankaramurthy that the joint select committee hand in its report within a specified period.

The third one, a senior leader explained, would be to pack this committee with friendly members of Opposition along with ruling party legislators so that the report would favour the division of the BBMP.