Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai took a jibe at the Congress party over the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) reservation and said that the party’s culture is that of rowdyism.

“Congress has the option of challenging the BBMP reservation matrix in the court. Instead, the party has barged into Vikasa Soudha and indulged in rowdyism. How appropriate is this? This shows the Congress culture. Everyone will condemn it,” said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

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His remarks came after the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Karnataka government to publish a ward-wise reservation list to facilitate State Election Commission for initiating the constitution of local bodies within a reasonable time frame.

Speaking to media persons after participating in a function organised by the Council of Architecture, Bommai said, the reservation matrix has been prepared in accordance with the 2015 High Court order.
Bommai also highlighted that Congress also did the same when they were the ruling party.

“The Congress had also done it when they were in power. They should introspect on what they had done. We all know what had happened in each constituency,” he added.

A bench headed by justice AM Khanwilkar asked that Karnataka government to publish ward-wise reservation list to facilitate the State Election Commission to initiate appropriate steps for initiating the constitution of local bodies within a reasonable time frame in accordance with the Bruhut (Greater) Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Act, 2020, and constitutional parameters.

The court said that the said exercise should be done within one week from now.

The court was hearing the plea seeking to conduct BBMP polls.
Earlier the court was apprised of the Bruhut (Greater) Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Act, 2020, which has come into effect from January 11, 2021, and consequent to coming into effect of Act, the government has appointed a Commission for delimitation of wards and a dedicated Commission for providing reservation, including for Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

The top court earlier on May 20 accepted the assurance given on behalf of the State and directed that necessary notifications regarding delimitation of wards or be it for determining reservation percentage for the newly constituted corporation, be completed and notified.

The court had directed the Karnataka State Election Commission shall thereafter to commence the preparatory exercise of conducting elections to install the newly elected body of the Bruhut (Greater) Bangalore Mahanagara Palike constituted under the Act of 2020.

The court had said that the State Election Commission can commence that exercise within one week from the date of notification of delimitation of wards and/or determination of reservation to be provided for the OBC category on the basis of the recommendation made by the dedicated Commission, whichever is later.

Earlier, the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Amendment had raised the number of wards in Bengaluru city from 198 to 243.