Karnataka High Court notice to State govt. on plea challenging constitutional validity of Greater Bengaluru Governance Act
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Joshi passed the order on the petition filed by well-known Kannada film director T.S. Nagabharana and three others.
The petitioners have also sought a direction to the State Election Commission to hold elections to the existing Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Pailke (BBMP) while pointing out that the last election to the BBMP was held 10 years ago, in 2015, and both the government and the SEC have failed to hold timely elections to the BBMP as per the constitutional provisions despite expiry of term of the elected body about five years ago.
Pointing out that Section 9 of the GBC Act provides for establishment of a Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) consisting of Chief Minister as ex-officio chairperson, Minister in charge of Bengaluru development as vice-chairperson, Ministers representing greater Bengaluru area, Minister in charge of urban development and various officials as ex-officio members, the the petitioners have contended that the 'GBA is an unconstitutional body', which holds power to exercise control over city corporations to be created under the Act.
As the GBG Act entrusts power with the GBA, which is an unconstitutional body, to control the city corporations consisting elected representatives, the Act is contrary to the 74th Amendment to the Constitution of India, which provides power for local self-government, which is the basic purpose of the provisions contained in the 74th Amendment, the petitioners have claimed.
The GBG Act gives powers for executing major infrastructure projects, collection and distribution of taxes, to make model bye-laws, to the GBA by taking away these powers from the corporations to be created under the Act, it has been pointed out in the petition.
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