PIL seeks effective guidelines for constituting ward Committees, area sabhas

Civic groups from 11 cities in Karnataka including lead petitioner CIVIC Bangalore and Mangalore Civic Group filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in Karnataka High Court seeking uniform and more effective guidelines for constituting ward level committees and area sabhas statewide.

Kathyayini Chamaraj of CIVIC Bengaluru led persons from Nagarika Shakti Bengaluru, Mangalore Civic Group, Jagruta Nagarikara Vedike and Janapara Seva Sansthe among others from different cities.

The PIL was necessitated because it was found that each Municipal Corporation in Karnataka was following its own agenda of nominating members to ward-level committees and Area Sabhas. Such nominations were being done arbitrarily, citing different laws. The current practice is inconsistent, illogical, and defeats the purpose of having ward committees and Area Sabhas.

The petition also demanded that people’s participation structures and methodologies be uniform, transparent, fair, democratic and participatory in all Urban Local Bodies.

After preliminary scrutiny, the HC had served notices to all the respondents including the Karnataka Government, Urban Development Department, the Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department, the Director, Directorate of Municipal Administration, and the Commissioners of the eleven Municipal Corporations (including BBMP). The court has also issued notice to respondents to hand over the complete set of documents to the government Advocate to enable him to seek instructions and to file a statement of objections.

The 74th Indian Constitutional Amendment Act of1993 and the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) of 2005 had mandated ‘institutionalising citizen participation’ in Urban Local Bodies.

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