BBMP polls to be delayed as Karnataka HC grants 12 weeks time to redo delimitation
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday granted 12 weeks time to the Congress government to redo delimitation of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) wards.
The order headed by Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale directed the state government to redraw ward boundaries while strictly adhering to law. The bench was hearing an appeal filed by former mayor BN Manjunatha Reddy and three others challenging a single-judge order dated on September 16, 2022.
The appellants mentioned that the bench did not consider the fact that the divisions of wards was disproportionate and the delimitation committee committed glaring errors. They also highlighted that railway tracks, major roads and storm water drains were irrationally split. Furthermore, they claimed that delimitation will boost public participation and urban governance.
The BBMP elections will further be delayed as the government has got additional time from Karnataka HC to redo delimitation exercise. The municipal body has been devoid of an elected council since September 2020.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy stated that Congress is keen to conduct the civic body polls by November. “We can’t hold elections for just 198 wards because the new law (BBMP Act) has come into force for the 243 wards,” he added.
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Mysuru royal family member asks villagers not to panic after her claim over 4,500 acres of land
Bengaluru (PTI): Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family on Monday said the residents of Siddayyanapura in Chamarajanagar district need not worry as she would not take any steps even if the land she has staked claim is found in the name of the royal family.
The assurance came after Wadiyar said over 4,500 acres of land in Siddayyanapura belonged to the royal family as per the agreement between the Maharaja of erstwhile Mysore and the Government of India in February 1951.
Recently when the state government moved ahead to declare Siddayyanapura as a revenue village, Wadiyar shot a letter to the Deputy Commissioner and Tehsildar of Chamarajanagar and other senior officials in the Government of Karnataka in this regard stating that the Mysuru royal family owns a parcel of land in the village, which they want to declare as a revenue village.
As the panicked villagers made a beeline before the Deputy Commissioner to resolve the issue and even claimed that the Mysuru Maharaja had gifted them land.
In order to clear confusion among people of Siddayyanapura, Wadiyar told reporters here, “We don’t know why the villagers are in fear. I am saying this now that they need not get scared now or even in future. I am giving them assurance that even if the Khatha comes in our name, they need not be afraid.”
She, however, complained that the Deputy Commissioner did not provide any document regarding the status of the property. Wadiyar wondered why people were in fear.
“I was away from the town and I was not aware of this issue at all. I learnt about this only when I read about it. I don’t know who created fear among them and I am not aware of what happened on the ground,” the successor of Mysuru royal family said.
Regarding the claim that the Mysuru Maharaja had given them land as gift, Wadiyar said, “If the Mysuru Maharaja had given them gift then do we need to snatch it back from them?”
She also said that the district authorities could have told her about the status of the land when they decided to make it a revenue village.
“Even if the land is transferred in our name, I will not create a situation that would scare them. I cannot give more assurance than this. We will do our best without the intervention of the State government, and there is no need for the government to intervene.
