BBMP standing committee poll postponed to November 10

BENGALURU: The election to the standing committees of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have been postponed toNovember 10 because no nominations had been filed by any party member.The featured race in the current poll is for the Tax and Finance Standing Committee head.

The elections were scheduled for Fridaymorning. Regional Commissioner M Jayanthi along with Assistant Election Officer V Shankar and Special Commissioner Vijay Shankar were present for the polls.

As no senior leader either from the ruling Congress party; or JD(S) had filed their nominations, the Regional Commissioner held a meeting with BBMP officers and arrived at a decision to put off the poll date till November 10, 2017.

A while ago, senior Congress leaders had held a meeting at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) officeon Thursdayafternoon and decided to seek a postponement in the election dates. When put forth, the regional commissioner had refused to this request.The candidates were asked to file in their nominations between8.00 am and 9.30 am by October 27,Fridaymorning.

However, none turned up for the nomination process. This initiated the regional commissioner to meet with the senior officers and decide to postpone the 12 standing committee chairman posts elections to November 10.This time, the candidates are asked to file in their nominations onNovember 9itself between10 am to 5.30 pm.

While KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao had said that the members of JD(S) had asked for some more time for the election process, Ramila Umashanker, Kaveripura councillor stated the opposite saying: "All our candidates are ready to face the elections."

Umashanker said, "We are asking for the position of chairman of tax and finance committee. But they (Congress) are not giving it up."

Ahead of the assembly elections coming up next year, it is quite evident that both parties want a position that is key to a victory.

Waste of money

Meanwhile, as Friday's poll got cancelled and postponed to another date, about Rs. Six lakh spent on the arrangements for it went waste.

A senior BBMP officer said, "We were expecting hundreds of Revenue officials and others ordered food for them. Only 60 officers turned up. Lots of food went waste," he added.