Stay on appointment of BBMP Health panel chief vacated

The BBMP had filed an interlocutory application seeking the vacation of stay of election to the post of Chairman of the new Standing Committee on Health.

A division Bench comprising Justice K Bhakthavatsala and Justice B Manohar also vacated the order allowing Corporator K N Thimmananjaiah from continuing in his post.
K N Thimmananjaiah, an independent Corporator from Peenya Industrial Area and a member of the Standing Committee on Health, had filed a petition challenging the elections to the Standing Committees. The Court, while refusing to stay the elections, had held the results of the elections subject to the result of the writ petition.

The petitioner had challenged the validity of the elections to the Standing Committees stating that it was in violation of Section 17 (1) of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act 1976 which stated that elections could not be held before the completion of the term of the Standing Committees.

The present Committees have completed only six months of their tenure. As elections to the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor were held, elections to different standing committees were also held. The Court had directed the BBMP not to disturb Thimmananjaiah from discharging his duties as a member of the Standing Committee on Health constituted on October 30, 2010. It also directed the BBMP to maintain status quo on theelection to the post of Chairman of the present Standing Committee on Health and held it was subject to
the disposal of the writ petition.

The High Court verdict paved the way for Geetha Shashikumar of Attur ward to take over as the chairperson of the BBMP standing committee on health. She will be the second woman to head any committee after Roopa Ramesh.