Bengaluru, Jan 13 Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the elections for the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) would be held within the deadline given by the Supreme Court.
Speaking to reporters at the Palace Grounds here, the Deputy CM, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, said: "We will conduct elections for the GBA as per the Supreme Court order. We will give necessary directions to the State Election Commission in this regard."
On the opposition, he said: "Let the BJP and the JD-S merge and fight elections together, we are not concerned."
Asked about the Supreme Court deadline for GBA elections, he said, “The State Election Commission has submitted an affidavit before the Court, and that issue is left to them."
"The government will give all necessary directions. We need to conduct Zilla and Taluk panchayat elections also, and we willdo whatever is necessary under the 73rd and 74th Amendments of the Constitution."
Asked about technical objections, Shivakumar said: "Some people have submitted technical objections... we have formed a committee, and it will look into it."
"We will go ahead and give the instructions to the Election Commission. There is a talk that the reservation for women is not adequate; we will direct them to look into it. We will not interfere in this."
He ruled out the government seeking more time from the court.
Asked how much of a challenge the local body election was, he said: "What challenge? It is our duty to conduct elections. We are preparing new leaders by empowering party workers. We are confident that we will do well in all five corporations."
To a question on alliance between the BJP and the JD-S, he said: "Let them do whatever they want – fight separately or together. There would be a direct fight if they had the same arrangement they had for Parliamentary elections."
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the civic polls in Bengaluru must be completed by June 30, and stressed that no further extensions would be given for the conduct of the elections.
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