[BBMP Elections] Publish Ward Wise reservation list within a week: Supreme Court directs Karnataka Govt

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Synopsis

The bench further noted that in case there is any grievance regarding delay in initiation of the process by the State Election Commission in any local body, it would be open to the aggrieved person to approach the court.

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the State of Karnataka to publish reservation list within one week for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Greater Bengaluru Municipal Corporation, and thereafter State Election Commission to conduct local body elections.

A bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice JB Pardiwala noted, "We direct the State Government to immediately notify reservation chart to facilitate the State Election Commission to initiate appropriate steps for ensuring constitution of local bodies within a reasonable time frame strictly in accordance with the provision of act and other constitutional parameters."

Additionally, the bench further noted that in case there is any grievance regarding the delay in initiation of the process by the State Election Commission in any local body, it would be open to the aggrieved person to approach the court.

Advocate General, Prabhuling K Navadgi appearing for the Karnataka government informed the bench that the top court's earlier order directing to complete the delimitation process of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) and issue a notification in this regard in eight weeks has been complied with.

Earlier, the Court had also directed that the state will simultaneously put in all efforts to ensure that the work assigned to dedicated commission concerning determination and proportion of reservation will be notified.

The Supreme Court, in December 2020, stayed an order of the Karnataka High Court which had directed that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections to 198 wards should be announced within six weeks. The court also issued notice to the State Election Commission and the petitioners before the High Court M Shivaraju, Abdul Wajid and Ravi Jagan.

The Karnataka High Court on December 4, 2020, upheld the validity of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Third Amendment Act, 2020 which had raised the number of wards in Bengaluru city from 198 to 243. The amendment was challenged before the High Court which upheld the same but held that it will not apply to elections of those corporations where elections had become due prior to the coming into force of the amended provisions. 

Case title: State of Karnataka Vs M.Shivaraju