Spare BDA staff from poll duty, HC tells poll panel

The High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for deputing their officials on BBMP election duty and not complying with the court orders. 

While hearing a batch of petitions, which has challenged the fresh land acquisition notification issued in 2014 with regard to Arkavathy Layout formation, Justice Ram Mohan Reddy passed an order directing the State election commission to draw officers from other departments for election duty and not from the BDA.

The bench said that the BDA must be first drawn to comply with the High Court orders and not divert the officials for election duty.  The order was passed after the BDA counsel submitted that a comprehensive report has been prepared, however the development authority is yet to finalise individual inquiry report based on each petitioner. 

The BDA counsel said that the State election commissioner will be drawing the officials for BBMP election duty, hence there was a delay in submitting the report sought by the High Court.

The High Court had passed an order on July 14, 2015, directing the BDA to submit the inquiry and joint survey report on the action taken in the Arkavathy Layout issue following the Supreme Court  verdict in 2010.  The court adjourned the hearing till Aug 20, 2015.