Karna Assembly passes bill on trifurcation of BBMP

Bengaluru, Apr 20: Amidst stiff opposition from both BJP and JD(S), Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Monday, April 20 passed a bill to trifurcate Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the city civic body, with a voice vote.

After failing to get the Governor's assent for an ordinance on trifurcation of the city civic body, a one-day session of Karnataka legislature was convened to pass the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill 2015.

[BJP appeals to Guv not to clear proposed ordinance to trifurcate Bengaluru city]

Opposition maintained their stiff reservation to the government's attempt to trifurcate BBMP since the time bill was introduced in the House to the time it was passed.

They even walked into the well of the House and tore the copy of the bill as the procedures to pass the bill through voice vote were being conducted.

As the House met for the day, BJP led by Opposition Leader Jagadish Shettar demanded that the issue of crop damage due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms should be taken up first, but Speaker Kagodu Timmappa did not permit it and said it can be discussed later.

Opposition also questioned the introduction of the bill by saying that the matter was still pending before the court and after heated argument and Speaker's ruling, Law and Parliamentary Minister T B Jayachandra introduced the bill.

Introducing the bill amidst Opposition's resistance to the bill, Jayachandra said, "The population of the larger urban area of the city of Bangalore has gone beyond eighty lakhs. Therefore it is difficult to supervise the implementation of state or central scheme."

"For the purpose of smooth administration of the corporation of the city of Bangalore, the expert committee appointed by the government has also recommended in its interim report for trifurcation of the city of Bangalore."

"Therefore it is considered necessary to reconstitute the corporation of the city of Bangalore into two or more corporations. Hence, it is considered necessary to amend the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act 1976 (Karnataka Act 14 of 1977) accordingly," he added.

Both R Ashoka of BJP and Kumaraswamy of JD(S) who spoke against the bill questioned the need for trifurcating the BBMP and called it as an attempt to postpone the elections.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said BBMP is not functioning properly with lots of irregularities and works were not happening on schedule. BBMP had to be divided and decentralised to make it more effective.

PTI