Palike polls: SC to hear State govt's plea tomorrow

The Supreme Court will hear on Friday a plea by the Karnataka government seeking a postponement of elections to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice H L Dattu decided to consider the petition on July 3 after a request by the State government’s Advocate General Ravivarma Kumar.

Seeking urgent hearing in the matter, he said the elections would be completely non-representative if seats were not determined on the basis of the latest 2011
census.

On May 5, the apex court had recorded a statement from the State government’s counsel agreeing to hold the polls within three months. The State Election Commission has already announced the election dates on July 28.

In a fresh move, the State government sought more time to complete the delimitation of wards and reservation of seats in accordance with the latest 2011 census figures.

HC’s rejection

Earlier, the Karnataka High Court had rejected a similar plea for time.  It told the State Election Commission to conduct polls on the basis of the existing wards and updated electoral rolls. Notably, on May 5, the State government expressed its readiness to hold elections within three months in a softening of its stance.

The apex court’s order had then come on a plea made by Namma Bengaluru Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, and several incumbent corporators contending that the delay in conducting fresh elections violated the Constitutional limit of five years for holding municipal body polls.