Bengaluru:
Decks were cleared for holding local bodies polls in Karnataka after the Supreme Court was today informed that the state machinery was ready to conduct them within three months.
A bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu was informed by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the state government that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has conveyed that elections for municipal wards of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) can be conducted within three months.
The bench, also comprising justices S A Bobde and Arun Mishra, took submission of the state government into record and set aside a division bench decision of the Karnataka High Court of April 24.
The state government had earlier taken a position that the polls for the BBMP would be held within six months.
“In the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, the division bench order of the HC is set aside and the decision by the single judge bench is restored,” the bench said.
The division bench of the high court had on April 24 refused to interfere into the government’s decision to appoint an administrator at the BBMP.
The single judge had on March 30 directed, inter alia, that the elections to the BBMP be conducted and concluded on or before May 30 and further, passed directions with regard to rotation of seats for reserved categories for various wards of the BBMP.
Namma Bengaluru Foundation, an NGO, and several corporators contended that the delay in conducting fresh elections violated the Constitutional limit of five-year fixed for holding municipal body polls.
MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar also filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court to stay Karnataka High Court order granting state government six months time to conduct BBMP elections.
