Draft rules for BBMP elections out, polls likely in March

The state government has published the draft Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (Election) Rules, 2021, as the city is currently governed under a separate law.

The 88-page document throws light on the procedure to be followed for holding the elections, whether it’s the duties of the returning officer, nomination rules, allotment of poll symbols or appointment of election agent.

This is an indication that the government is finally making preparations to hold elections to the BBMP council. As per the draft rules, a candidate or their election agent cannot spend more than Rs 5 lakh on the election campaign.

Voters have a month to give feedback.

Ashwin Mahesh, of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), says the gap between the date of making nominations to the election day should ideally be three months so that candidates get enough time to campaign.

Also read: BBMP bleeds Rs 98 crore as rains wash away asphalt from newly-laid roads

Further, he said, the election commission should actively engage in increasing the voting percentage in municipal elections and ensure every voter gets
the name and background of each candidate.

Other than the three mainstream political parties — the BJP, the Congress and the JD(S) — the upcoming elections to the BBMP will also see more parties contesting for the first time. They are: the Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP), the AAP and the Karnataka Rakshana Samithi (KRS).

The election is expected to be held in March, around the same time when the states of Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab,
Uttarakhand and Manipur go to the polls.

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