Legal opinion sought on women's quota for ULB posts

The State government has sought legal opinion on whether to fix quota for women at 33 per cent or 50 per cent while finalising reservation for the posts of presidents and vice-presidents of various urban local bodies (ULBs) which went to polls on March 7.

Municipal Administration Minister Balachandra Jarkiholi told reporters in Bangalore that the March 7 polls to 208 ULBs were held based on the 2007 reservation list with 33 per cent quota for women, as per the direction of the Supreme Court.

“Whether we should continue with 33 per cent quota for the posts of presiding officers or fix the same at 50 per cent  (the required amendments to the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1964, have already been passed) is being discussed,” Jarkiholi said.

The minister said once he gets the legal opinion on the quota issue, detailed guidelines on holding elections for the posts of presiding officers in the 208 ULBs would be issued. He expressed confidence that the “reservation confusion” would be resolved in a day or two and that the process of elections for the posts of presiding officers completed within a week after the issue of guidelines.

Jarkiholi said BJP’s poor performance in ULB polls had come as a surprise to him.
“The government had released sufficient funds to all the ULBs in the last five years. There seems to have been lack of coordination between the government, its officers and the elected representatives. This aspect should be set right in the coming days,” Jarkiholi said.