RWA

The Election Commission and local government officials have been in the news recently on yet another effort (not unlike the past) to clean up the electoral rolls in the state. The upcoming assembly elections in May are a virtual deadline for this process. Civil society groups in Bangalore have pitched in to lend the EC a helping hand. Their goal is to make sure genuine voters are able to cast their votes, and fake voters weeded out. How have these efforts fared? Though the task at hand is herculean, a beginning has been made. For long, voters in Bangalore have…

Corrupt government officials who have actively abetted illegal constructions in the city should be taken to task before any action can be taken against owners of such properties. This was the common refrain among citizens of the city who met under the aegis of the Citizens' Action Forum (CAF) on 24 January 2008 to discuss, debate and arrive at a consensus on issues arising out of the amendment to the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act. The amendment is known as the Sakrama scheme. The group discussing Setback and FAR violations at the CAF Forum on Sakrama. Pic: Samuel Jacob.…

Damned if you do damned if you don't. That's the dilemma the high court judges, hearing petitions against the recently passed Karnataka State law on regularization of illegal constructions, seem to be in. The public interest litigation (PIL) filed by citizens' groups from Bangalore and Mangalore seek an injunction and stay against the Sakrama scheme devised under the new law and being implemented by the administration. Sakrama in discussion at the 1 December meeting organised by CIVIC. BBMP Special Commissioner Ramprasad is speaking. "If the amendment is not stayed, violators will get amnesty. But if we stay the amendment, small…

Even as the IT city swells and rips out of its infrastructure, there are small bands of earnest and committed residents that are trying very hard to effect local patch-up jobs. All over the city, colony federations are beginning to take up issues, address concerns and battle for local rights. Citizens’ awareness is rearing its head, even though some may say that it has not made its presence felt in a major way. Any of the local associations is an interesting microcosm of the city’s concerns. Take the relatively new and IT-centric colony of Hosur Sarjapur Road (HSR) Layout, for…