Decision after studying order, says minister

 Minister for Municipal Administration Balachandra Jharkiholi on Wednesday said the State government will take appropriate decision on the Supreme Court direction to the State government on conducting urban local body elections (ULBs).

“We have not received the order of the SC. An appropriate decision will be taken after going through the order,” he told mediapersons.

Congress unhappy

Soon after the Supreme Court verdict, Congress leaders including D K Shivakumar, T B Jayachandra, Allam Prabhu Patil, and Suresh Gowda met Governor H R Bhardwaj, seeking his intervention in the matter.

The Congress leaders wanted the Governor to give his assent to an amendment bill passed in the Legislature, making it mandatory for the State Election Commission (SEC) to obtain the State government’s permission for fixing dates urban local body elections.

However, the Governor is learnt to have told the Congress leaders that he has received the Bill on Wednesday and that he will take appropriate decision after going through it.
Apparently disappointed with the cold response from the Governor, the leaders claimed that they met the Governor to seek his approval for a Bill pertaining to daily wage workers.

When contacted, D K Shivakumar said: “We requested the Governor to clear this Bill (daily wage workers) immediately. There was no point in discussing the ULB matter after the Supreme Court has intervened.

“The Governor, being a lawyer himself, will not confront the Supreme Court.”