BBMP elections as per schedule, says minister
Government will not challenge High Court’s order on wards’ reservation
Transport Minister R Ashok, on Tuesday, said the State government would not challenge the Karnataka High Court’s order on reservation of BBMP wards in the Supreme Court. The elections for the Palike would be held as per the schedule already announced by the State Election Commission.
Ashok, in an interaction with reporters in Bangalore, was reacting to reports that the Government was not ready for the BBMP elections.
Ashok said that the Court had directed the State government to revise the reservation of the BBMP wards. The revised reservation would be submitted to the court in three-four days. The elections would not be delayed further, the minister added.
Reacting to a question, Ashok said there was nothing wrong if more than 33 per cent of seats reserved for women. The law did not restrict the extent of reservation for women at 33 per cent.
“The Constitution has provision to reserve 33 per cent seats for women. But there is nothing wrong if more seats are reserved for women,” he said.
JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy had recently alleged that the Government was allotting reservation of BBMP wards violating the norms only to attract the Court’s wrath, which would help to delay the elections.
There are allegations that the government had reserved 34 per cent of seats for women against the law restricting reservation at 33 per cent.
Ashok stuck in lift
Situation turned tense for some time in Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday as the Minister for Transport R Ashok got stuck in a lift while he was proceeding to attend a function organised by the Transport Department.
According to sources, the lift stopped moving reportedly due to power disruption. Situation turned chaotic as the generator was not in switched on mode. The lift operator immediately called up the concerned section. They restored the power supply and the lift started functioning. Minutes later, the minister came out of the lift smiling though he seemed tense, added the sources.
