Governance

The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024 (GBG) was tabled at the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on July 23rd. It outlines a three-tier structure to govern Bengaluru: A new body called the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) for coordinating and supervising the development of the Greater Bengaluru Area; ward committees as basic units of urban governance and to facilitate community participation; and ten City Corporations in the Greater Bengaluru Area for effective, participatory and responsive governance.  However, the Bill has been criticised by several groups and urban practitioners for being in contravention of the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which decentralises power to lower levels…

Dear Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, We write to you to express some concerns that Citizens' Action Forum (CAF) and a significant section of the citizenry have regarding the proposed restructuring of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). At the outset, we do believe that there are positives in the concept. However, there are concerns with the process, a few assumptions made, and the lack of details regarding the implementation of such a major decision. Read more: Will restructuring into 10 zones help BBMP? Our concerns are listed as follows: There is an assumption that the principal problem plaguing BBMP’s…

(Citizen Matters, Bengaluru, organised a citizen clinic, 'Decoding property documentation—your guide to sale deeds, khata, EC and more’, where advocate Mithun Gerahalli, who specialises in property law, answered questions regarding property documentation. Part 1 of the three-part event report series covered the legal issues related to property documentation and the due diligence that new buyers should follow. Part 2 dealt with the khata quagmire, Digital Property Ownership Cards (UPOR) and discrepancy between the owner’s claim and the information in the RTC [Record of Rights, Tenancy, and Crops]. Part 3 is about Apartment Associations Registration and Laws) Bengaluru's expansion both horizontally and…

Part 1 of the three-part event report series on property documentation covered the legal issues related to property documentation and the due diligence that new property buyers should follow. The queries were addressed by Mithun Garehalli, an advocate specialising in property law. Part 2 highlights Mithun's insights into the complexities of land ownership, the importance of understanding property history, and the need for expert advice in property transactions. Khata quagmire What is A Khata vs B Khata issue?  A Khata is a document used for tax assessment in Bengaluru. It includes essential details such as the property owner’s name, site…

(This article is part 1 of a three-part event report series)  All property transactions in Bengaluru have to mandatorily be registered with the government. This is important as it provides buyers with essential safeguards; enhances transparency due to the requirement of comprehensive project disclosures; establishes standard practices; and provides mechanisms for dispute resolution. The government has brought in multiple legislations over the years. While it has brought in some level of streamlining of the process, a lot is left to be desired. There are several types of property, which means you will need to deal with different agencies. In a…

In 2023, the BBMP launched Kere Mitra (lake friend) to ensure transparency in lake management. It was introduced to bridge the gap between citizens and the authorities in the daily maintenance of lakes, which fall under BBMP's custody. The Kere Mitras or lake volunteers are selected for a period of three months. While some were satisfied with the programme, others expressed their reservations about the selection process and lack of training. However, is the initiative achieving its intended goals? The BBMP seems satisfied with the applications. The next phase of Kere Mitra will not be open to new applicants. "In…

Various documents are required at different stages to carry out property transactions in Bengaluru. If you are not adequately prepared, the complexity of regulations, rules, and procedures can be overwhelming and potentially lead to complications. Often, we don’t fully understand these requirements until we are directly involved in such a situation. Also, if we don’t ask the right questions at the appropriate times, we are more likely to make errors. In this citizen clinic, organised by Citizen Matters, an expert on property law will address questions from the public on the kinds of guide on land types, authorities, etc and…

This year has seen a scorching and extended summer all across the country. Tamil Nadu has been no different with the state capital, Chennai, recording 40.7 degrees Celsius in the peak of summer. As temperatures soared, the Greater Chennai Corporation issued an advisory, asking people not to step out of their homes between noon and 3 pm, and to cover their heads to protect themselves from the unbearable heat. Representative image: A food delivery worker during the pandemic. Pic: Nicholas Mirguet via Flickr But what if your job requires you to spend several hours out in the sun during peak…

Table of contentsThane: Naresh Mhaske, Shiv SenaElection results for Thane constituencyWho is Naresh Ganpat Mhaske?Political experienceChallenges in the Thane constituencyKey promises made by Naresh MhaskeKalyan: Dr. Shrikant Shinde, Shiv SenaElection results for Kalyan constituencyWho is Dr. Shrikant Shinde?MPLADs spending of Dr. Shrikant ShindePolitical experienceChallenges in the Kalyan constituencyKey promises made by Dr. Shrikant ShindeAlso read: Both the Thane and Kalyan constituencies have been bagged by the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde led faction) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The two MPs who have been elected from Thane and Kalyan are Naresh Mhaske and Dr. Shrikant Shinde respectively. Here is comprehensive…

Table of contentsBangalore North: Shobha Karandlaje, BJPElection resultsAbout Bangalore North constituencyShobha Karandlaje's political experience Positions heldEducationCriminal recordAssets and liabilitiesChallenges in the constituencyKey promisesBangalore South: Tejasvi Surya, BJPAbout Bangalore South constituencyElection resultsTejasvi Surya's political experiencePositions held:EducationCriminal recordMPLAD detailsAssets and liabilitiesChallenges in the constituencyKey promisesBangalore Central: PC Mohan, BJPAbout Bangalore Central constituencyElection resultsPC Mohan's political experience Positions held:EducationCriminal recordMPLADS detailsAssets and liabilitiesChallenges in constituencyKey promisesBangalore Rural: Dr CN Manjunath, BJPElection resultsAbout Bangalore Rural constituencyDr. CN Manjunath's political experience EducationCriminal recordAssets and liabilitiesChallenges in the constituencyKey promisesAlso read The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a victory in all four Parliamentary Constituencies in Bengaluru in the 2024…