BBMP elections: Karnataka HC quashes government notification for OBC, women reservation

Bengaluru, Sep 30: In a major development, the Karnataka High Court on Friday quashed government notification for OBC and women reservation in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections.

The high court also ordered fresh notification to be issued by November 30 and BBMP polls to be held by December 31.

The Karnataka government issued the reservation list on August 3, reserving 81 seats for backward classes, 28 for SCs, and 4 for STs out of the total 243.

The total number of seats has been enhanced from 198 to 243 as per an amendment to the BBMP Act.

A batch of petitions has been filed in the high court challenging the reservation list for not following the Justice Bhaktavatsala Commission report, which reserves 33 per cent seats for the OBCs.

During the last hearing, the high court expressed that elections to the BBMP has to be conducted before the end of 2022.

The State Election Commission (SEC) informed the HC that the Supreme Court has set a deadline for holding the elections.

The SEC is yet to announce the calendar of events for the election.

Last week, the HC had dismissed petitions challenging the delimitation of wards.