JOIN USState Election Commission pushes for BBMP polls
The IA has been filed by Under Secretary C R Revanna on behalf of SEC.
In July 2008, the High Court had disposed of a petition filed by former mayor P R Ramesh and directed that elections to BBMP should be held in three months’ time. Another four months time was given in October 2008, but since there was no notification issued for delimitation, no dates were announced.
In March 2009, the Lok Sabha elections once again postponed the BBMP polls and in June 2009, another two months’ time was given, but the delimitation was not completed.
On September 17, 2009 the High Court gave time till October 10 for releasing the ward reservation list, October 15 for releasing funds for elections and October 23 for releasing the calendar of events.
The application says that since October 5, the SEC has written several letters to the Principal Secretary of Urban Development to release funds for the elections.
On October 29, a single judge bench dismissed a writ petition challenging the ward-wise reservation guidelines proposed by the BBMP and the following day, SEC wrote another letter to the Urban Development Department asking it to release the final notification regarding reservation list.
The SEC has said that it is not in a position to either declare or conduct elections to the 198 wards, despite having the electoral rolls ready and taking all the preparatory steps, as it has been awaiting publication of the final notification.
Legal notice
SEC has stated that the delay is not on its part and has prayed the Court to direct the Department of Urban Development to release the list immediately.
Former Mayor P R Ramesh has issued a legal notice to the State Government and SEC through his lawyer, Puttige R Ramesh. The notice is in lieu of the fact that it is 12 days since a single bench dismissed a writ petition challenging the ward-wise reservation guidelines proposed by the BBMP and contempt proceedings have been initiated as no steps have been taken to release the reservation list.