Council passes Delimitation Commission Bill

The Legislative Council on Friday passed the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill that will empower the state government to form a Delimitation Commission for rural local bodies.

As in the Legislative Assembly, Congress legislators staged a walkout in protest.

The proposed Delimitation Commission will redraw panchayat boundaries and fix reservation for seats, potentially delaying elections to taluk and zilla panchayats that are due.

During a discussion on the Bill, Congress and some JD(S) members accused the government of proposing a new delimitation commission only to delay elections for the local bodies. "We oppose the Bill 100%," Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council S R Patil said.

JD(S) MLC KA Thippeswamy suggested that discussion on the Bill be kept on hold until the High Court issued an order on petitions challenging the delimitation and reservation done by the State Election Commission (SEC). He said that the house should hold the discussion after the Court delivers a judgement.

Law Minister JC Madhuswamy defended the state government's move to form a delimitation commission. "Nowhere is it said that SEC has to be entrusted with delimitation," he said.

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