BBMP polls off, division on

BENGALURU: At a time when the state government was fighting a combined Opposition with its back to the wall on the issue of division of BBMP, and as a consequence, a delay in polls, a division bench of the Karnataka High Court on Friday provided a breather by setting aside the order of a single judge that the process of elections must be completed before May 30.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice D.H. Waghela and Justice Ram Mohan Reddy asked the state government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to adhere to the 74th amendment to the Constitution-hold elections within six months from the date of dissolving BBMP (the government notification on dissolution of BBMP was issued on April 18). The division bench observed: "Even under the changed circumstances, the election was required to be held and completed before expiry of six months from the date of notification dated April 18. Such time limit having been expressly prescribed in the Constitution, there was no occasion for any reduction or extension of the period of six months by a judicial order or otherwise.

Therefore, the directions issued in the impugned decision (Single judge order) have to be set aside.” While this verdict brought cheer to the ruling Congress, leaders of BJP vowed to challenge the judgement in the Supreme Court through a special leave petition (SLP) on grounds that the state government has violated the 74th amendment to the Constitution by not conducting elections on time.

“We are not satisfied with the order of the High Court. We will approach the Supreme Court and have held consultations with our legal team on filing the appeal,” state BJP chief Pralhad Joshi told the media.

Former deputy chief minister R. Ashok said “BJP corporators C.K. Ramamurthy and Somashekar will file an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the order of the High Court on BBMP polls”.