JOIN USThe 13-member select committee of the Legislative Council, which looked into the bill to restructure the Bengaluru municipal area, has made a brief, four-line recommendation to the government.
The committee, headed by Minister S R Patil, has said the committee was in sync with the B S Patil Committee report. And the amendment bill - the Karnataka Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2015 - should be approved. But the report comes with dissent notes of the Opposition members who are on the panel.
Of the 13 members on the committee, 7 members - 5 and 2 of the BJP and JD(S), respectively - are not in favour of dividing the BBMP, while six members, including the chairman, are in favour of the division. The report is to be submitted to the Council on Monday.
According to a BJP member, Bengaluru should have one mayor; should remain as one Palike; there could be 10 divisions for better administration of the city and more financial freedom could be given to the civic body.
But the Congress is for division of the Palike.
With the dates for the elections announced by the State Election Commission on July 16, the select committee report may not come in handy for the government to push its agenda, said sources. However, the Council will have to put the bill, which is pending before it, for consideration. The bill, in all probability, would be defeated. And it would return to the Assembly for consideration.