<p>The State cabinet on Friday approved holding the much-delayed elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) by July-end in accordance with the Karnataka High Court’s order. Besides deciding to increase the number of wards under the BBMP from 147 to 198, the Cabinet also approved the use of electronic voting machines for the municipal elections.<br /><br />Announcing the decision, Rural Deveopment and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje said population per ward has been pegged at 20,000 (in core Bangalore) and 30,000 (on the outskirts). Previously, it was 40,000 per ward. The number of nominated members will be 10 per cent of the total strength of the BBMP council. The decisions will be conveyed to the State Election Commission soon, she added.<br /><br />The cabinet move comes after the High Court order last month directing the government to complete the processes required to hold the BBMP polls by July. Despite repeated intervention by the HC, elections to were not held since the term of the erstwhile BMP council ended in November 2006.</p>
<p>The State cabinet on Friday approved holding the much-delayed elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) by July-end in accordance with the Karnataka High Court’s order. Besides deciding to increase the number of wards under the BBMP from 147 to 198, the Cabinet also approved the use of electronic voting machines for the municipal elections.<br /><br />Announcing the decision, Rural Deveopment and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje said population per ward has been pegged at 20,000 (in core Bangalore) and 30,000 (on the outskirts). Previously, it was 40,000 per ward. The number of nominated members will be 10 per cent of the total strength of the BBMP council. The decisions will be conveyed to the State Election Commission soon, she added.<br /><br />The cabinet move comes after the High Court order last month directing the government to complete the processes required to hold the BBMP polls by July. Despite repeated intervention by the HC, elections to were not held since the term of the erstwhile BMP council ended in November 2006.</p>
