Govt sets ball rolling on Akrama Sakrama in City, suburbs

Election to 18-member BMPC to be held on Sept 16

Paving the way for implementation of the Akrama Sakrama scheme in Bangalore and its suburbs, the State government has initiated the process of holding elections for constituting the 18-member Bangalore Metropolitan Planning Committee (BMPC) as ordered by the High Court of Karnataka.

All sitting corporators of the BBMP, chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of zilla, taluk and gram panchayats in the Bangalore Metropolitan Area (BMA) will elect 18 members from among themselves for the BMPC. The election is scheduled for September 16. Panchayat chairpersons and deputy chairpersons can elect two members.

Following the High Court order that the Akrama-Sakrama scheme cannot be implemented unless BMPC was formed, the government had instructed the Bangalore Regional Commissioner to initiate the process of forming the BMPC in its letter dated August 25, 2014.

The High Court had given the order on a petition by C N Kumar, who had questioned the validity of Section 14(A) of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act that empowers the State to allow usage of land for purposes other than that earmarked in the development plan.

As per the schedule of events, on September 15, nominations will be received, scrutinised, back nominations received, final declaration of candidates for election and announcement of results if elected unopposed. If the members are not elected unopposed, voting will be conducted and results announced later.

The committee will also have 10 members nominated by the State government, including the chief minister, urban development minister and a representative of the Union government from the National Capital Region Planning Board. Economists and experts in town planning will be special invitees.

The BMPC will also include MLAs whose constituencies fall under the BMA, and MLCs who are voters in the BMA.

The chairperson will be chosen from among the members while the commissioner of Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will convene the meetings. The tenure of the members of the committee will run concurrently with that of the BBMP or panchayat of which they are members.