We are a day early, but nevertheless, Happy Independence Day folks! As India enters her 69th year of independence, what resolution will you take to support a better-governed Bengaluru? One key step is to ensure that you select the right candidate in the BBMP elections scheduled next Saturday. We bring you the information you need to carefully assess those aspiring to become councillors.

For each zone, we have mapped ward details, past council details, number of voters, etc. Check out our Special Coverage on the BBMP elections 2015.

For some select wards, we have added details about the state of the ward — the demographics, infrastructure details, the tenders and development works executed, issues raised by citizens and more. We are also adding details of contesting candidates as we get info.

Shettihalli | Mangammana Palya  | Uttarahalli | Mangammana Palya | Maruthi Seva Nagar | Sarvagna Nagar | Kadumalleshwara | Malleswaram | Bellandur | Doddanekkundi | Hagadur | Kadugodi | Varthur

Meeting candidates

A candidate debate during the BBMP Elections 2010. File pic. 

If you have candidate information, please share it with your fellow voters through Citizen Matters! Mail us the name, party, ward, contact and other details of the candidates.

Check out this article on what information to gather and questions you can ask when they meet you or at a public event. See: On candidate meets for BBMP elections 2015?

Namma Bengaluru Foundation is also organising candidate debates in several wards. Here’s what transpired at the ones in Uttarahalli and Shettihalli.

Also read:

• Citizen Action Forum’s wishlist for Bengaluru
• Bellandur’s wishlist
• Indira Nagar’s wishlist

Election politics

Kavitha Reddy questions the candidate selection process for the BBMP Elections. She says some of the selected women candidates are merely proxies standing in place of the real candidates, the men. Read: Don’t talk about women’s empowerment.

Sandalwood calling

Many Kannada organisations are up in arms against each other, due to the dubbing ban controversy. So what really is the issue? Why do some oppose dubbing, while others support it? Will dubbing turn a double-edged sword for Kannada visual media?

On the road

Most Bangaloreans spend substantial time on simply commuting from one place to another. Vaidya talks about the major traffic jams that citizens traverse through, and likens the ones on ORR to Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the underworld. Read: Traffic on ORR is likely to worsen. Here’s why!

Tying up knots

How can you get your marriage registered? And where should you get it registered? What kind of marriages can be registered, under which act? Here is all you need to know about it. Read: How to get the government seal for your marriage in Bengaluru?

Celebrate freedom with flowers

The highlight of the flower show – the Bengaluru Palace made of Dutch roses. Pic: Holly Thorpe

The Lalbagh Flower Show is on only for 3 more days, until August 16th. Wade through the gardens of Lalbagh to view the Bangalore Palace, the Mysore Maharajas, even Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Click here to see what is in store.

Traffic in and around MG Road will be diverted on Independence Day from 8.30 am to 10.30 am. Attendees are not allowed to carry phones, cameras and umbrellas to the venue. Read: Traffic and parking arrangements for August 15th.

Food for thought

Should moms be expected to dress like, well, moms? Divya Sreedharan raises some pertinent questions about how society perceives young mothers who dress up. Read: When moms dress sexy and other urban stories…

A walk down memory lane

School-going children often come up with nicknames for their teachers. Here’s a fitting tribute by Chandra Shekhar Balachandran to one such teacher from his past – DRV aka Dappa Ravay (V)unday. Read: Scout’s honour.

Into the wild

X marks the spot: Signature spider. Pic: Deepa Mohan

There are several interesting things one can observe while looking at a spider web. In this photo essay, Deepa Mohan gives ample reason to dissuade people from merely brushing off cobwebs while cleaning their homes. Read: Website architecture.

The week that was

At the 3rd Transgender Habba, Health Minister UT Khader said that he was pushing to establish a Transgender Board in the cabinet. Read: Karnataka to conduct transgender Survey: UT Khader.

Students from NMIMS and Sahaas participated in Walk-a-thon, an event to raise awareness about the need for zero waste. In addition to a 3 km walk at Lalbagh, they also performed a street play. Read: Students team up with Saahas to spread zero-waste message.

In other news…

• As many as 1,765 candidates have filed their nominations for the BBMP elections for 198 wards. Apart from the mainstream political parties, smaller parties like Loksatta, AIMIM, Welfare Party of India too have fielded their candidates. As on August 11th, as many as 674 independent candidates had filed their nominations which also includes rebels from various political parties.
• Bengaluru which has been in the news for garbage mismanagement, has been rated as the cleanest capital in the country, as per the Union Urban Development Ministry’s Swachh Bharat ranking. Two criteria have been considered: eradication of open defecation and solid waste management practices. Mysuru has been rated the best in cleanliness among 476 cities in India.
• In an anti-begging drive, Bengaluru cops have rescued over 164 children from a begging racket. During the campaign called ‘Operation Smile’, the police also detained 90 adults who were using children for begging. With many families coming forward claiming to be the parents of the rescued children, the police have decided to subject the children and adults to DNA testing. The Women and Child Welfare department, Child Welfare Committees and other NGOs were also part of the campaign.
• Good news for weekend party mongers. The Excise Department has extended the deadline for bars and pubs till 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays. The earlier deadline was 11.30 pm. Though the department had extended the deadline recently, a notification on the same was not issued. Now the Excise Commission has said that they would be issuing a fresh notification on the deadline extension.
• In the wake of the BBMP polls, community group Whitefield Rising has come up with a manifesto. The community has asked each councillor to set up a call centre and be in touch with citizens on SMS and Whatsapp. They have also asked every councillor to fix a day to meet the public to listen their complaints and views. The group also showcased the painpoints of Whitefield area through Twitter, with #WhitefieldBlackFriday.

Events this week

• Attend the reading of The Golden Dragon, a play about the goings on in the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant. Theatre actor Anuja Ghosalkar will be doing the reading at Goethe Institut on August 14th.
• This Independence Day, Roll Up Your Sleeves and save lives at a blood donation camp at Gnan Srishti school in HSR Layout.
• YUVA in association with Karnataka Amateur Rowing Association, is organising Karnataka’s first Inter-lake Rowing Championship, at Allalasandra Lake on August 15th. Team Allalasandra will be competing against the team from Ulsoor.
• Sumanth of the Gerry Martin Project will be conducting a Bird Walk at Kasavanahalli Lake on August 16th.
• Laugh out loud at Alliance Francaise on August 16th. Watch I’m your Venus and She said, He said, two comedy plays.  
• Voice of Stray Dogs is organising a fundraiser concert, Howling Mad, at Humming Tree on August 16th. As you listen to the rock fusion band Lagori belt out some of their tunes, you will be raising money for Bengaluru’s strays.
• Hamburg-based photographer Julia Knop, has also produced a series of 12 portraits, on the topic Water Matters. This will be on display at CDD Society until August 21st.

Click here for the complete list of events in Bengaluru.

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