Karnataka Governor Clears Historic Bangalore Overhaul Bill; City Set for Radical Civic Shake-Up Amid Cheers and Controversy

The Governor of Karnataka has approved the landmark Greater Bangalore Governance Bill, 2024. This bill seeks to overhaul the civic administration of the city by proposing the division of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) into seven separate municipal corporations, with each corporation allowed to have up to 150 wards.

For the time being, the Government will start with three different Municipal Corporations, and all will be working under a Greater Bangalore Authority. The Authority will ensure growth and expansion, ensuring uniformity across planning efforts.

The Karnataka Governor, Thawar Chand Gehlot, had earlier returned the bill seeking clarification on some legal and administrative issues. The Bill has already been passed by the two houses of the State Assembly.

The Bill seeks to create a more decentralised governance model for the Greater Bangalore Area with more public participation. The legislation allows the creation of up to ten autonomous City Corporations and is projected to advance administrative efficiency and bring civic services closer to the people.

The most important part of the bill is that it will enable the empowerment of Ward Committees and will serve as the functional unit of local governance. The committee will also ensure greater community participation and will also increase political accountability, leading to augmented responsive decision-making.

The bill also aims to restructure the roles of various public service agencies in Bangalore, making it more transparent, answerable, and better prepared to deal with the city’s complex urban challenges.

NGOs and Civic groups have responded positively to the proposed division of the earlier Bangalore Municipal Corporation into more manageable and smaller entities. Whitefield Rising (WR), a well-known citizen collective, in a post on X, stated that the move will significantly improve governance, especially in rapidly expanding zones such as Mahadevapura.

However, the group also cautioned and stated that the proposal must be carefully implemented so that the intent of the move is realised.

Shivaji Nagar MLA Rizwan Arshad thanked the Governor for giving his assent to the bill and stated that the Greater Bangalore Governance Bill will be a watershed moment, which will ensure decentralised decision-making and give wider powers and authority to zonal committees. He added that the Bill was long overdue and will help deal with Bengaluru’s urban challenges by focusing on a more citizen-centric approach.

However, the opposition BJP has termed the move as costly and inefficient. It also argued that the bill will pave the way for allowing non-Kannadigas to become mayors. It will also concentrate power with the CM and Bangalore Development Minister, creating revenue inequality, which will precipitate irregular development and unrest.

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