Karnataka HC notice to Karnataka govt on PIL against sections of BBMP Act
Bengaluru, Feb 28: The High Court of Karnataka has issued notice to the state government on a public interest litigation challenging the Constitutional validity of several sections of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Act, 2020.
The Citizens Action Forum has challenged Sections 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 and 86 of the Act claiming that they "are prima facie violative of several provision of the Constitution of India."
The petition has also alleged that Sections 75 and 77, which allow creation of Constituency Consultative Committee and the Zonal Committee, "that in effect operate so as to supersede the Ward Committees and render them otiose."
The Constitution allows for the creation of ward committees but not other panels. "These committees have been established in blatant violation of the spirit of Article 243-S" of the Constitution, the petition says.
The petition came up for hearing before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale.
Section 76 of the BBMP Act prescribes the function of the Constituency Consultative Committee while Section 78 outlines the powers and functions of the Zonal Committee.
The petition alleges that the "Constituency Consultative Committee exercises executive and supervisory powers over the Zonal Committee which in turn exercises executive and supervisory powers over the Ward Committees."
Alleging that "the impugned Sections are in blatant disregard of Part IX-A of the Constitution, its objectives and reasons, and renders the Ward Committees, established by constitutional mandate, nugatory and otiose," the petition calls for their quashing.
Citing an example of how the ward committees have been made toothless', the petition said, "The Government of Karnataka has on 01.04.2022 announced that the BBMP's budget outlay for the year 2022-23 will be Rs.10,484 Crore. The Government of Karnataka has on 08.05.2022 conditionally approved an additional outlay of Rs.377.5 Crore. Of these funds, Rs.924 Crore are earmarked for Ward level works. These public monies will be utilized by the Constituency Consultative Committees and the Zonal Committees, to the exclusion of the Ward Committees."
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Expertise Group CEO Ashif Karnire meets PM Modi in Saudi Arabia
Jeddah: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, made an important visit to Saudi Arabia, reaffirming the strong bonds between the two nations. As part of his diplomatic outreach, PM Modi engaged with prominent Indian business leaders based in the Kingdom, acknowledging their pivotal role in fostering economic growth and bilateral cooperation.
Among the key participants at the high-level meeting were Ashif Karnire, Chief Executive Officer of Expertise Group, and Anshif Karnire, Chief Strategy Officer, who met Prime Minister Modi during his visit. Their presence underscored the dynamic entrepreneurial contributions of the Indian diaspora to Saudi Arabia’s evolving economic landscape.
Other notable Indian business leaders in attendance included Yusuf Ali, Managing Director of Lulu Hypermarket, and Alisha Moopen, Group CEO of Aster Healthcare both represent influential enterprises that have played integral roles in the Kingdom's development across retail and healthcare sectors.
During the discussions, the leaders explored the significant contributions of the Indian community to Saudi Arabia, acknowledging their influential roles in the local economy.
