The New Indian Express 07.01.2010
BBMP poll process kicks off on Jan 15
BANGALORE: It is finally poll time in the city and January 15 is when the code of conduct is pegged to take effect. Beginning way back in November 2006 – The issue of the draft notification on Greater Bangalore on November 2 and the subsequent exit of the erstwhile Bangalore Mahanagara Palike council on November 23 – It has been an extended stretch without an elected body at the helm of affairs in the city.
Speaking for the Congress, former mayor and party spokesperson Ramachandrappa did not fail to note that the last city council was ruled by the Congress and the party was aiming to get back the reins. It is only in the fitness of things that the push should come from the judiciary, Ramachandrappa said pointing out that the Congressman and another former mayor P R Ramesh had been pursing the matter right from November 2006.
The ruling BJP’s city unit chief and legislator Vijayakumar noted that the ward wise work with the party cadre would begin right away. Sections within the city rung of the BJP also sounded sober: the party failed to reap the two sure chances at the BBMP in the immediate days of the Assembly elections in 2008 and the general elections in 2009, they observed.
At the State Election Commission, secretary Ravindranath said that all preparations were underway. The latest measure was a training programme for master trainers on the operation of the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
EVMs will be in use in a local body election for the first time during the BBMP polls and the SEC has already procured 9,500 of these units from Bharat Electronics Limited.
DATELINE 2006 TO 2009
* Nov 2, 2006: Draft notification on the formation of BBMP.
* Nov 23, 2006: BMP council bows out after end of term; administrator rule takes effect.
* Jan 16, 2007: Final notification of the formation of BBMP.
* There is no move on election. Dragged to court,the government cites the Assembly polls and delimitation exercise for the delay.
* Aug 18, 2008: Draft notification on delimitation of wards numbering 148 (no final notification is issued and the draft lapses)
* July 15, 2009: Notification on delimitation of wards numbering 198.
* July 31: Guidelines for reservation of wards based on the assembly segment-wise population is issued.
* Oct 29: A single judge bench upholds the assembly segments population based guidelines as serving the purpose of social justice.
* Nov 16, 2009: A division bench of HC gives the government time till Nov 30 to notify wards reservation and SEC is told to announce the elections by Dec 7.
* Nov 30, 2009: Government issues notification on the ward-wise reservation in BBMP.
* Dec 7, 2009: SEC announces the schedule of BBMP elections. Election on Feb 21, the process to be notified on Feb 1. The same day the HC also hears a batch of writ petitions on the guidelines for reservation.
* Dec 8: The division bench overrules the single judge order. Asks for the revision of guidelines, orders that it be based on the population of the entire municipal area. The bench does not interfere in the schedule of election.
* Dec 16: Government issues the revised guidelines as per the division bench order.
* Dec 17: An open mention through a PIL is made in the Supreme Court and the latter orders an interim stay on the division bench order of Dec 8.
* Jan 6: Supreme Court stays the division bench order. The SEC, is told that it is at liberty to proceed with elections as per the single judge order.
