HC's final word on BBMP polls

Directs State Election Commission to announce calendar by October 23

A division bench headed by Chief Justice P D Dinakaran upon hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by former mayor P R Ramesh directed the State government to begin the election process.

The directive also categorically stated that the government will not be given any further time extension for holding the election.

Further, the bench directed the State to issue a corrigendum regarding the delimitation of wards by September 23 and publish wardwise reservations before October 10.
The High Court also directed the government to release funds to the SEC in two equal installments and set October 7 and October 15 as the deadlines.

Govt to obey

Meanwhile, reacting to the High Court directions, Bangalore incharge minister R Ashok promised that the government will obey the order. “The Government will adhere to the timeline given by the High Court,” he said.

He also countered former mayor Ramesh’s accusations that the government is deliberately delaying the election. “It was a delay that was created by the JD(S) regime. We are only one year and four months old,” Ashok argued.

Earlier order

In July 2008, a division bench headed by Justice Cyriac Joseph had ordered election to be conducted within a period of three months.

However, following the State government’s repeated pleas citing reasons ranging from by-elections to the use of electronic voting machines, extensions have been granted by the High Court. The latest extension was granted earlier this month on September 1 after the government sought more time for the reservation of wards.

DH News Service