BBMP polls: Govt seeks more time from HC

In an apparent bid to delay the BBMP elections, the state government has filed an interlocutory application (IA) before the Karnataka High Court, seeking three months’ time to comply with the court orders. The high court – which is scheduled to hear the case once again in seven days – had earlier ordered the government to hold the long-delayed election to the BBMP council by December 31 this year.

In its September 30 order, the high court had quashed the reservation notification and directed the government to redo the exercise by reserving seats for women in wards where they are in a greater percentage. The court had also directed the government to cooperate with the Dr Justice K Bhaktavatsala Commission by furnishing empirical data on SC/ST communities, OBCs and women.

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Citing extraordinary circumstances, the Karnataka Advocate General on Tuesday sought three more months to formulate a report and issue fresh notification on the reservation of wards. The government had earlier reserved 28 seats for SC candidates and four for ST candidates. As many as 81 seats in the remaining 211 wards were reserved for OBC candidates.

What does the IA state?

In the IA, the government points out that the Bhaktavatsala Commission requires additional time to re-examine its earlier report in the context of the observations made by the high court.

DH has seen a copy of the IA. The IA is, however, silent on the steps taken by the government to redo the women’s reservation list, as ordered by the court by allocating seats in the descending order vis-a-vis the percentage of women’s population in the wards.

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The commission – in its supplementary report submitted to the government on October 31 – has said that its earlier report “does not require any change” and “the reservation adopted is in tune with the extant laws”. On November 17, the government, however, wrote back to the commission, directing it to re-examine the report and submit additional details.

Some of the details asked are, 1. methodology adopted for determining reservation for Category ‘A’ and ‘B’ of Backward Class after determining the reservation for SCs/STs. 2. list of eligible castes among OBCs for providing reservation in the local body election. 3. The empirical data used by the commission in the supplementary report and 4. Data of backward categories in the political field.

“The response from the commission would aid the government in coming out with fair and just reservation notification so that the interests of all eligible sections of backward classes are duly addressed,” the application states while seeking the extension of time.

Abdul Wajeed, a former councillor, said the government does not have a genuine interest in holding local body elections. “The government is depriving citizens of their right to elect the local government. It is using different methods to delay the polls. We wish the election commission was in-charge of delimitation and reservation of wards. It would have been both scientific and delivered on time,” he said.