Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 21: In connection with a prayer seeking direction to form ward committees in Mangaluru, petition was filed in the state high court. The high court has now sought response from the state government.

The petition seeking the high court order to the government to form ward committees was filed by Nigel Albuquerque, Narendra Kumar, Katyayini Chamaraj, and others. It came before the division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice S Sujata on Wednesday December 19.

After listening to arguments placed on behalf of the petitioners, the high court asked the public prosecutor to get information from urban development department and furnish the same to the bench during the next hearing.

Advocate for the petitioner said that the petitioners had, on June 13, 2017, asked the corporation commissioner and directorate of municipal administration, seeking to form ward committees and area Sabhas as per section 13 of Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act and article 243 S of the constitution. As there was no response from these departments, this petition was filed. Even the show case notice dated November 16 in this connection did not get any response.

"Because of non-formation of ward committees and area Sabhas, citizens here are facing problems. In several ares drinking water problem has arisen, but because of the non-existence of ward committees, people have also not been able to effectively participate in development works. People are getting deprived of their right to partcipate in administration, planning, implementation, supervision, ands ocial auditing of works, the petitioners have argued.