GENRE: LN

The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan premises in the heart of Bengaluru looked like a fortress on Sunday, April 6 2014. While cops were on vigil and the main gate was closed to unauthorised people, a team of volunteers was busy verifying the entrants with the RSVP list. After the Bangalore South candidate meet fiasco which was hijacked by language debate, Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC) became extra-cautious on who should be let in. Even the seating was properly arranged, with volunteers guiding people where to sit depending upon who they were. This did not go well with all. Some TV reporters…

In a first, to aid electioneering, a single window system to get all clearances from the Returning Officer has been set up in the city. Permission from the BBMP and police can be obtained from the RO who will now be available at the Police Commissioner’s office between 3pm and 5pm. But, AAP candidate from Bangalore Rural, Ravi Krishna Reddy said that candidates still had to approach different agencies so it could not be called a single window system. In another first, after the EVMs has been introduced, Bangalore South has been picked as one of the constituencies that will…

Nina Naik talking to people during campaign. Pic: Nikita Malusare There were no drum beats, there was no hailing of party slogans, there was no huge backing of crowd to attract the attention. The Aam Aadmi Party caps did the trick. Along with a few dedicated volunteers, Nina P Nayak, Bangalore South AAP Candidate, was seen campaigning on the streets of Gandhi Bazar. At 60 years, Nina P Nayak, adorned in dark blue sari with think gold border, a purse on her right shoulder and the Aam Aadmi Party’s trademark cap on her head, randomly spoke to people as she…

On March 24th, Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC) shared information on the performance of sitting MPs at a press conference. As Kiran Shaw said, the idea was to highlight the issues and factors that citizens should keep in mind while exercising their franchise. This includes understanding the performance of MPs representing Bangalore City and voter perceptions. BPAC also shared Citizen Matters’ research and report on MPLAD expenditure and parliament record of the Bangalore MPs. Meera K, co-founder, Citizen Matters presented the data. Harish Narsappa of Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC) shared the findings relating to the performance of sitting MPs;…

Pic: Josephine Joseph I was at the debate ‘Candidates Meet Citizens - Bangalore South Constituency’ organised by Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC). I reached there well before the event started. Half the auditorium was already filled up with media and the candidates’ campaign crew. Gradually the hall filled up with citizens and of course, party workers - I guess the show of strength at a forum meant for citizens is important, especially if you need people clapping and whistling when there is a pause after a conjunction so the citizens sitting there think you said something important.   The format…

This fortnightly newsletter is shared by the citizen group bellandur-forum@googlegroups.comIbblur lake revival back on track   The Bangalore Urban district office, headed by the Tahasildar (South) conducted an eviction drive from March 04 to March 05 to clear encroachments on government land around the Ibblur Lake, as per the latest survey map.    Some under construction buildings and portions of existing commercial buildings, parts of boundary walls of residential complexes (Sobha Garnet & Suncity) etc. were demolished as part of the drive to reclaim Lake land after due notifications were given to the concerned parties. The BDA has committed to resume…

High Court judge Justice Venugopala Gowda, during the hearing between Chalet Hotel v/s HAL on Tuesday, March 25th, 2014, observed that HAL failed to crosscheck the height elevation submitted by the Chalet hotel to construct Raheja Viverea at Koramangala. Doubting on the authenticity of the height certificate procured by Precision Survey and Ambedkar Institute, Justice Venugopala Gowda said, “The certificate doesn’t even have BBMP’s letterhead. It has the letter head of company.” What is BBMP’s role in this issue? Ministry of Civil Aviation Notification no. SO84, dated January 14th, 2010 mandates all vertical structures near airport to procure a height…

It was a cool Sunday morning, but the volunteers and activists of Bharatiya Janata Party were seen running around with excitement near Chowdaiah Memorial Hall in Malleshwaram. Even as the curious crowd waited inside the hall for D V Sadananda Gowda (better-known as DVS by those who want short names) to arrive, the now-famous NaMo song, ‘Modi aanewala hai...’ was played on the projectors kept on both sides of the stage. Following this, a five-minute corporate film on the man of the day, DVS was played. When it was half-way, DVS, with his trademark end-to-end smile on his face, entered…

Hundreds of residents took to streets in protest against the multicrore project coming up on Bellandur wetlands. “Mall beda, Neer beku! Go back Mantri!” shouted hundreds of residents — not just the adults but also the young children — assembled beside Srjapur Road, near the biggest lake of Bengaluru, Bellandur lake. They had come from HSR Layout, Koramangala and Bellandur. When government failed to take action and justice was slow in coming, citizens decided to protest, and this was the result. At 10.30 am on March 23rd, 2014, men and women from all ages wearing caps and holding umbrellas, marched…

The enormity of the Lok Sabha Elections is many a time difficult to comprehend. The machinery that has clicked into the play mode is not only that of the political parties but that of the Election Commission too. The numbers are tallied in millions of voters, in crores for poll expenditure, in lakhs of polling booths, polling agents, police, paramilitary, reserve police and even unaccounted for cash that is seized. The world’s largest democracy is going into polls and it is therefore excusable that the elections for the country’s 16th Lok Sabha is hogging a lot of media space and…