Preparations for Greater Bengaluru municipal polls to be completed by December 1: Shivakumar

Bengaluru, July 30 (IANS) The Karnataka government has decided to complete preparations for the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections by December 1 and also to file an affidavit in this regard with the Supreme Court in three to four days, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Wednesday.

Shivakumar, who is also Bengaluru Development Minister as well as the state Congress President, shared the timelines at a meeting with party leaders and office-bearers from the Bengaluru division held at the Bharat Jodo Bhavan here.

"Preparations for elections to the five municipal corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will be completed by December 1. Therefore, make all necessary arrangements, including updating the voters’ list," he instructed party leaders.

"We held a meeting with the officials of the Greater Bengaluru Authority on Tuesday. Preparations for the BBMP elections have begun. After discussions with MLAs from Bengaluru, we have taken steps to form five municipal corporations within the city. Starting from Tuesday, election preparations have officially begun. I will be submitting an affidavit to the Supreme Court regarding the municipal elections within the next 3–4 days," he stated.

"I have instructed that the process of ward delimitation, handling public objections, and all related procedures must be completed by December 1. The voters' list will also be prepared by then. I call on all of you to begin preparations in your respective Assembly constituencies, wards, and booths," Shivakumar urged.

"Meanwhile, our government has decided to conduct a comprehensive caste census, including backward classes and all other communities. Our party workers must actively promote this initiative. This is a mission entrusted to me by Rahul Gandhi. The party leadership has decided that no one should express dissatisfaction regarding the survey process. We even re-surveyed internal reservations within Scheduled Castes after discussions. Except for Bengaluru Urban, about 95 per cent of the data has been collected across the state," he said.

--IANS

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