Civic polls: SC grants K'taka govt extension to issue final notification on Greater Bengaluru ward delimitation & reservation

New Delhi, Nov 3 The Supreme Court on Monday granted the state government 15 days’ time to issue the final notification for the delimitation of wards under all five municipal corporations of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) in connection with holding civic polls in Bengaluru.

The court has directed the Congress-led government to complete the delimitation excercise by November 15 and the process of ward reservation and other matters to be completed by December 15.

The Bench headed by Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and Joymala Bagchi passed the order. The petition in this regard has been submitted by Congress leader Shivaraju and others. Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi has represented the state.

The state sought time with the court till December 15 for completing the process of delimitation and reservation and other matters. Earlier, the state had submitted that the election to Bengaluru civic authorities would be completed by November.

Singhvi submitted to the court that everything else is ready, but they just need 15 more days to finish compiling delayed caste survey data, after which both tasks will be completed together.

He further explained that the delay is due to the caste survey, where enumerators were late in submitting data, and compiling all this information is taking additional time.

Although the deadline set by the judges is known to him, he is requesting 15 more days to complete the task for a valid reason.

The court considering the submission stated, after reviewing the reasons given by the state government in its affidavit, the court believes that it is fair and reasonable in the interest of justice to allow the government 15 more days to finish the task.

"Let the delimitation exercise be completed by 15th November and the ward reservation, etc. shall be completed by 15th December," the court stated.

The BJP and JD(S) which have vehemently opposed the formation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) have challenged the Congress-led government to hold civic polls of Bengaluru immediately. They have alleged that the state is postponing the civic polls due to the fear of losing elections. The civic polls in Bengaluru were last held in 2015.

Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, who is also Bengaluru Development Minister, said the civic elections in Bengaluru will take place after November, once all processes are complete.

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