The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill Gets Governor’s Nod

Bengaluru: The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill was given consent by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday and Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil stated to publish it in the gazette notification. The Bill was passed in the Legislative Assembly on March 10, 2005 and in the Legislative Council on March 13.

The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill was returned by the Governor to the State Government after it drew opposition from the main opposition party-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Acting on a memorandum from BJP and some civic groups, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot sought clarification on the Bill from the State Government.

While asking the State Government to revisit the Bill, the Governor said the Bill proposes to divide Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to form 7 separate Municipal Corporations on the model of Delhi Metropolitan City. But this experiment did not work in Delhi, and a similar situation may arise in Bengaluru too. He advised the State Government to take the Delhi experiment into consideration.

The Governor also pointed out that the Greater Bengaluru Governance Authority proposed by the Bill may lead to interference on the powers of elected local bodies enshrined by the 74th amendment to the Constitution. The Governor wanted the State Government to relook into it.

Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad, representing Shivajinagar assembly seat in Bengaluru city, termed the Bill a landmark step in reforming Bengaluru’s governance model. It decentralizes decision-making, empowers zonal committees and grants financial and administrative autonomy at the grass root level.

As per the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill tabled by Bengaluru incharge and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, aims to establish the Greater Bengaluru Authority for planning, coordinating and supervising the development of the Greater Bengaluru Area.

In addition, the Bill aims to establish multiple Municipal Corporations in the Greater Bengaluru Area for effective, participatory and responsive governance, to empower Ward Committees to become basic units of urban governance and facilitate community participation and to streamline political and executive accountability of all public service delivery agencies in the Greater Bengaluru Area.