From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Dec 10: Terms of the mayor and deputy mayor of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will become 30 months and the number of wards in the City Corporation will go up from the present 198 to 243 when the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Bill, 2020, which was passed by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly becomes law.

The Karnataka State Legislative Assembly passed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Bill, 2020, on Thursday.

The Bill seeks a division of wards within the constituency of a member of the Legislative Assembly and no wards should be spread over to constituencies.

However, the term the BBMP Council shall continue to be five years.

The Bill said the mayor and the deputy mayor should hold the office for 30 months from the date of his or her election and continue in office till his or her successor is elected. The term of the mayor and deputy mayor was one year at present.

The Bill provides for the number of zones should not exceed 15. Each zone has zonal committees and committees should be headed by a councillor representing one of the wards within the zone who should be elected among councillors. An engineer who is in charge of the particular zone should be an ex-officio member.

Other members of the committee should be a person who is an expert in solid waste management nominated by the government, and an expert in urban governance nominated by the government. The term of the committee should be one year, as per the bill.

A councillor, who has become the chairperson of the committee, should not be eligible to become chairperson for the second term.

The zonal commissioner should be the coordinator of the zonal committee. The government should frame rules for specifying the qualifications, manner of appointment and honorarium of the expert members of the zonal committee.

The Bill recommends the establishment of a constituency consultative committee for each assembly constituency consisting MLA (Chairperson), councillors, not more than five resident association representatives of the Assembly segment nominated by MLA for 30 months. This committee would give aid and advice to the zonal committees.

There should be a ward committee for each ward headed by the councillor and two members belonging to SCs and STs, three women, two members representing resident associations. It said 50% of the persons to be nominated to the committee should be women. Committees should meet at least once a month.

The Bill said the zonal commissioner should have the power to grant licenses related to the establishment of markets either wholesale or retail, industries, restaurants, slaughterhouses, corporate offices, and others.