By Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, Social Activist
With the passing of orders of High Court of Karnataka on 24.4.2017 directing the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to set up Ward Committees within one month, a long fight by civil society groups, networks and individuals across Karnataka over 25 years, has finally ended. This direction by the HC was made after the NGO ‘Environment Support Group’ submitted in Writ Petition that the BBMP is in violation of repeated directions from HC over several years (2012-16), to constitute Ward Committees as mandated in the Constitution of India (Article 243S). This direction now ensures statutory support for citizen monitoring in all civic matters and decisions and time has come for citizens to reclaim their long-denied statutory right to participate in civic decision-making, particularly on matters listed in the 12th Schedule of the Constitution and in all functions of Ward Committees as mandated in the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act (Ch. III A, Sec. 13). This is an opportunity for citizens and NGOs to voice societal concerns and ensure bottom-up approach through participatory democracy and in a transparent and accountable manner.
