Involve public in discussions on BBMP wards, mayoral powers

Sweeping administrative changes are in the offing in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) with a proposed delimitation of wards from 198 to 225. Also on the agenda is a structured decentralisation of the Palike’s powers.

DH interacts with a cross-section of Bengalureans to ascertain their views on how increasing the number of wards will help governance, impact their daily lives and make Bengaluru a better city.

Civic activist Nitin Seshadri notes, “Increasing the number of BBMP wards will certainly help in better governance. However, Area Sabhas need to be created in each ward instead of the emphasis on increasing the number of wards.”

Incidentally, the BBMP Commissioner, N Manjunatha Prasad had recently said that Area Sabhas will be constituted within two months of the next Palike Council elections. However, the elections could be delayed due to the ongoing discussions on delimitation.

Advocate and activist Vinay K Sreenivasa draws attention to the B S Patil Restructuring Committee’s recommendation on splitting the BBMP into three. “The committee suggested splitting the Palike into different corporations, but now no one is mentioning it. Instead, they are now talking about increasing the number of wards.”

He opines that any discussion on the number of wards, BBMP’s jurisdiction, powers of the mayor and other issues should involve wide public consultation. It is not enough that the sub committee discusses these issues by itself.

The committee, Sreenivasa says, should organise public consultations in different areas, inviting suggestions and inputs from the people. “They should aim for effective bottom-up governance,” he notes.

Vijayashanthi Murthy, an assistant professor at St Joseph's College, has this to say: “People don't have any clarity on what is happening at the political level. Jargons around politics are not understandable for the common people, making it difficult to analyse and question.”

Besides, she says, this is not the right time to undertake such an exercise as the entire system is in the midst of the pandemic response. She wonders why there was the need to start the process now when most of the government-related works are proceeding at a slow pace.

Bengaluru, as a metro city, has diverse cultures and communities. Even places within the city differ largely in terms of development. Many slums are shifted away in the name of the development process. Murthy wonders whether increasing the number of wards would address these real concerns. “Or, are they concentrating only on vote bank politics?” she asks.

Shem Shaji, a resident of Koramangala, has a different view on the issue. He says it must be appreciated that the weaker sections of the society are also considered when areas are included for major development. By adding more wards into the city zone, underdeveloped areas will benefit, he elaborates.

“All that is important is to make sure that the promised development reaches every end of each ward. By implication, each and every corner of the city should see equitable development. But it is all in the hands of the corporators and the BBMP to successfully implement the new proposals,” he adds.