‘New BBMP Act renders ward committees toothless’

The petitioners also questioned the creation of additional committees

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday ordered issue of notice to the State government on a PIL petition complaining that the new Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Act, 2020 has rendered ward committees toothless, in clear violation of the mandate of the Constitution of India. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj passed the order on the petition filed by C.N. Deepak and Vijayaraghava Marathe, both social activities. The petitioners have contended that Section 8(b)(ii) of the Act is unconstitutional as it allows inclusion of social workers as members of the council of the BBMP.