Next Bengaluru mayor set to have 2.5 year term

BENGALURU: The joint select committee of the state legislature on Wednesday unanimously cleared the proposal to increase the number of Bengaluru wards from 198 to 225 and extend the tenures of mayor and deputy mayor from one year to two-and-a-half years each.
“After discussions, we concluded that a 30-month term is ideal for a mayor and her deputy since one year was not enough for them to settle in. Another reason is it’s cumbersome to change mayors and deputy mayors every year,” said BJP MLA S Raghu, chairman of the committee that studied the BBMP Bill.
Sources said some committee members favoured a five-year term, but it was turned down fearing concentration of power in one post was not in the best interest of administration. The BBMP bill, tabled in the legislative assembly in March, was referred to the joint select committee after Bengaluru MLAs cutting across party lines demanded a relook at the bill.
Govt is keen on passing bill before BBMP elections
The panel is yet to decide on increasing the number of zones from eight to 12 or 15 with each zone headed by an IAS officer.
The committee is expected to finalise its recommendations before the legislative session starts on September 21 so that the government can introduce the bill and get it passed at the earliest. However, MLA Raghu said he was not sure if the bill would be tabled in the coming session since the committee was yet to decide on over 20 proposals which requires “at least 3-4 meetings”.
Sources said the government is keen on passing the bill before BBMP elections are held. The tenure of the elected council ends on Thursday (September 10). The state election commission is likely to announce the poll schedule after November 30, the deadline set by the high court for the BBMP to complete the electoral roll revision.