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The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bengaluru Town Hall, a citizens collective, to challenge Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, in Supreme Court
A civic collective organised under the banner of Bengaluru Town Hall has resolved to legally challenge the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act (GBGA) 2024, calling the legislation 'undemocratic and unconstitutional'. The group, comprising planners, lawyers, and citizen volunteers, has begun formulating a legal strategy to contest the Act in the Supreme Court, marking the first formal opposition to legislation since its passage in April. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot gave his assent to the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024, and the State government issued a gazette notification. The legislation will allow for establishment of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) for coordinating and supervising the development of the greater Bengaluru area. The Governor in March returned the Bill passed in both the Houses during the Budget session seeking clarification. The government sent back the Bill providing clarifications. The decision to legally challenge the Act by the BTH is one of four coordinated initiatives launched by the group in response to what it sees as a 'top-down, opaque approach' to urban governance reform in Bengaluru. Prakash Belawadi, actor and activist who is spearheading the BTH, told The Hindu: 'We have decided to challenge the Act legally. As the subject pertains to constitutional violation, we are planning to approach the Supreme Court. We have also held meetings with the advocates on the same. Alongside the legal action, the group has constituted a Masterplan Focus Group consisting of planning experts who are leading a citizen-driven urban master planning exercise — an alternative to government-led processes that they say often lack public participation. This group will prepare a masterplan in adherence with the rules and relevant laws. Another subgroup is drafting a Citizens' Bill for Urban Governance, a grassroots legislative effort that compares existing Bills, model laws, and governance Acts to create a comprehensive and inclusive city governance draft, which the group says it intends to 'gift' to the government. In addition to this to support these efforts, a communications team is building a digital outreach strategy to inform, engage, and mobilize the public around these initiatives.
Hans India
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Citizens' Groups Raise Alarm Over Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, Mull Legal Challenge
Bengaluru: The passage of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024, into law has triggered a wave of concern and resistance among citizen groups and civil society organisations in the city. The Bengaluru Town Hall movement, a prominent pressure group advocating for transparent and decentralised governance, has voiced strong objections, citing violations of constitutional principles and procedural lapses. In a statement issued on Thursday, the group expressed dismay over the Governor's assent to the bill, stating that the law has been enacted 'despite strong objections from citizens and civil groups,' and that its provisions undermine the very spirit of democratic decentralisation enshrined in the Constitution. 'The objections were very serious, especially about violations of the Constitution and lack of due process, and lack of public consultation,' the statement read. 'This law goes against the spirit and letter of the 74th Amendment/Nagarpalika Act 1992, which is the very essence of our democracy.' The 74th Constitutional Amendment, passed in 1992, is widely regarded as a cornerstone of urban democratic governance in India. It mandates the creation of elected municipal bodies and devolution of powers, functions, and finances to urban local governments. Critics of the new Bengaluru legislation argue that it centralises authority, reduces the role of elected representatives, and gives greater control to the state government and bureaucracy. The Bengaluru Town Hall movement, comprising civic activists, urban planners, legal professionals, and residents' welfare associations, has announced that it is actively studying legal options to challenge the newly enacted law. A team is being constituted to explore the viability of a legal recourse. 'We are constituting a team to pursue this. We shall announce our plans shortly,' said Sandeep Anirudhan and Prakash Belawadi in a press release issued today by the BTH. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024, was introduced by the state government with the stated aim of streamlining administration and improving service delivery in the rapidly growing metropolitan area. However, activists contend that the process of drafting and passing the bill lacked adequate public consultation and transparency. 'Any change of this scale to the governance structure of a city like Bengaluru must be subject to wide-ranging consultations, involving citizens, local representatives, and experts,' said a senior member of the Town Hall movement, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'Instead, the bill was rushed through without hearing the voices of the people who live and work in this city.' Legal scholars and constitutional experts have also weighed in, with some raising red flags about the bill's compatibility with the framework laid down by the 74th Amendment. If a legal challenge is mounted, the outcome could have far-reaching implications not just for Bengaluru but for urban governance models across India. Meanwhile, civic activists are calling for increased public awareness and mobilisation to resist what they describe as 'an erosion of local self-governance.' Discussions are also underway for a citywide campaign to educate citizens about the impact of the new law on urban democracy. As Bengaluru continues to grapple with complex urban challenges — from mobility and housing to waste management and water supply — the controversy over the governance bill has sharpened the debate around who truly governs the city, and how.
