Governance

An announcement from BBMP in newspapers a while back has asked for citizens to write in with objections if any, to the proposed changes in road names. It is not just roads but also areas that have been renamed (among them Frazer Town, which everybody still refers to as Frazer Town rather than as Pulakeshinagar.The rationale for name changes is that the old names are relics from a colonial past and that we need to commemorate our own, indigenous heroes and  leaders (from Kittur Chennamma to Kempe Gowda, to former judge, governor and freedom fighter Nittoor Srinivasa Rau) which is…

For M Abdulla Saleem, his recent appointment as Additional Commissioner Police (Traffic) is a return to familiar turf. He succeeded Praveen Sood a few months ago. "I am basically a traffic man," proclaims Saleem and it is not without justifications. Pic Courtesy: DCP (Traffic) Office The 1993 batch IPS officer previously served as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic East Division, Bangalore and in 2010 completed a PhD in Traffic Management from Bangalore University. He has held various posts across the state including Assistant Superintendent of Police, Gulbarga, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) and Inspector General of Police,…

The media is abuzz with reports of jailed Chief Minister Yeddyurappa's group snubbing national BJP leader L K Advani in Bangalore yesterday by boycotting his anti-corruption rally. It appears the BJP's political roundabout of contradictions and snubbing has also broadened into civil society anti-corruption movement. Advani declined to meet Karnataka's India Against Corruption group, who had lined up a series of demands for him. It appears the senior BJP leader, whose national anti-corruption campaign is widely seen as a way to upstage the UPA, is doing a tightrope walk in Karnataka. The state has been plagued with its own series…

The papers reported that all fireworks and crackers activities should cease between 10 pm and 6 am. KSPCB and the police were supposed to be doing rounds and enforcing the curfew. It's 11 pm in the night, and near Nagarbhavi, some random crackers keep going off at regular intervals. Dealing with continuous fireworks is one thing, but sudden bursts at random points in time is too much to deal with.The dogs, not accustomed to rackets other than their own, start howling everytime one goes off. Aged parents at home, struggling with flu-like symptoms thanks to the weather, exacerbated by the…

About MLC | Bangalore Graduate constituency | Register to vote | Documents required | Where to submit | Generate form online tool | Check your name on rolls Note: THIS PAGE WILL BE CONTINUALLY UPDATED - KEEP CHECKING FOR THE LATEST INFO. ADD YOUR QUESTIONS/DOUBTS IN THE COMMENT SECTIONS. ABOUT THE ELECTIONS What is the election all about? In Karnataka Legislative Council, seven of the 75 members are elected from graduate constituencies. A graduate constituency is one in which only graduates from any recognised Indian university can vote. Bangalore is one such constituency. This election is held once in six…

We usually hear about gift being presented to one another on occasion of marriage, birthdays, anniversaries etc, the gifts are usually presented on such occasions are material gifts which can be delivered immediately. However, one may also choose to gift immoveable property, hence it may be good to know and understand what the law says about gift of immoveable properties. What according to law is a ‘gift'? As per the Transfer of Property Act, 1885, Section 122 of the Act, defines gift as "gift is the transfer of certain existing moveable or immoveable property made voluntarily and without any consideration…

JP Nagar resident M Srinath had relinquished his property in Jayanagar 8th block for Metro construction last year. The property was part of BDA layout, and was supposed to measure 1500 sq ft.During the acquisition, KIADB (Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board) which was in charge of the acquisition, had got the city survey department to measure the land. The department found that the property in fact measured 1530 sq ft.KIADB assured Srinath that he would compensation for the entire 1530 sq ft if he managed to get a letter from the BDA. "I do not plan to pursue it with…

Citizen associations in parts of Bangalore are gearing up to get residents to register as voters for the upcoming Bangalore graduate constituency election. The election to the position of MLC (Member of Legislative Council) will be held before June 2012. Residents can enrol themselves as voters before November 5th.Graduate constituency election is one in which only residents with a graduate degree or equivalent educational qualification can vote. Voter should be a resident of the constituency and been a graduate from any Indian university for at least three years before November 1st. Even if you have voter identity cards, you need…

Bangalore as a Creative City: An Open Consultation to discuss Policy Recommendations for Urban Arts and Culture SpacesThe Centre for the Study of Culture and Society (CSCS), Bangalore, and the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Bengaluru are organising an open consultation on “Bangalore as a Creative City” to debate the centrality of arts and culture in urban planning that has until now largely focused on infrastructure. The event will take place on Thursday, the 29th of September, 2011 at 10:30 at the NGMA, Bengaluru.Here are the live proceedings of the consultation, covered by Francesca Rechia, an urban studies professional and writer.  …

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahnagara Palike (BBMP) may have passed some major decisions in the last few years - including increase in taxes, and road widening and infrastructure projects worth hundreds of crores of rupees. But none of these decisions were ever passed by a vote in the city council. And this, in a city of over eight million people with massive problems ranging from inadequate affordable housing to dying lakes and property tax holes to roadwidening resentment. The Karnataka Municipal Corporation Rules (Rule 65 in Conduct of Business Rules), says a vote should be held if councillors press for it.…