Interim stay on BBMP’s standing committee election

The high court on Friday granted interim stay order on the election for chairman of BBMP’s standing committee for finance and taxation and issued notices to the state government and BBMP.

The vacation single bench of Justice P B Bhajantri was hearing a writ appeal filed by Hemalatha Gopalaiah, chairman of the standing committee for finance and taxation, questioning the notification on the election for the standing committee issued by the department of urban development on September 23.

Petitioner’s advocate contended that the previous election for the standing committees was conducted on December 4, 2018, and the committees have one year tenure. According to section 11 (5) of Karnataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) Act, the government can declare election only after completion of the tenure of the standing committees. But the government had declared elections for all the 12 standing committees, along with mayor and deputy mayor elections. It clearly shows that the notification was illegal and so it should be withheld, the petitioner said.

After hearing the contention, Justice Bhajantri granted the interim stay and issued notices to the department of urban development, regional commissioner and the BBMP.