Karnataka HC reserves verdict on PILs on BBMP polls

BENGALURU: The high court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions seeking directions for conducting BBMP elections.
This was after advocate general Prabhuling K Navadgi replied to the contentions raised by the petitioners, which included the State Election Commission (SEC) and several ex-corporators.
The AG claimed in the absence of a proper challenge, the recent amendment to Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976 through which BBMP wards were increased from 198 to 243 cannot be ignored as it has now become a valid law, enacted by the state legislature.
Asserting that the state government is not against holding timely elections, he said the court can monitor the process by stipulating timelines within which the new delimitation process and subsequent polls are to be held. The delay was only due to the pandemic, he added.