Assembly nod for Bill to clarify GBAs authority over new corporations

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday passed the Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to clarify that the newly formed Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) would not interfere with the functioning of the proposed five new corporations. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, said that though the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act was passed, some people filed a PIL in the court. Hence, this amendment has been brought, stressing to clarify the point that the Greater Bengaluru Authority would not interfere in the functioning of the corporations, Shivakumar said. According to the existing Act, GBA shall exercise such authority and discharge such functions as per the provisions of this Act, including with respect to the corporations created, he said. We have removed it... we will not interfere. Corporations are separate. We dont want to interfere in their functioning, Shivakumar added. Discussing the matter, Dasarahalli MLA Muniraju (BJP) lamented that his constituency will be divided between the proposed Bengaluru City North Corporation and Bengaluru City West Corporation. I should run behind which authority to get work done for my constituency? he said, adding that the State Government has not just divided Bengaluru into five parts by bringing the new Act, but is also dividing five Assembly constituencies represented by the BJP, including Padmanabhanagar and Bommanahalli. Adding to this, Jayanagar MLA CK Ramamurthy (BJP) said that even population-wise, each corporation was not the same. Even the tax collected from these proposed five corporations will create more financial imbalances, he said. In his reply, Shivakumar said, If you (Opposition members) are not interested in the amendment, I am ready to withdraw it. We brought in this amendment with the intention that someone else should not misuse it while we are not in power. Shivakumar said let there be elections first.The last date for filing of objections on the formation of GBA was August 18. The final notification will be issued on September 2. We do not want to do politics over Bengalurus future. The government will not interfere with respect to financial independence, tax collection, elections, or reservation. The 74th amendment has been fully protected, he clarified. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, came into effect on May 15. Accordingly, the government decided to constitute five city corporations in the Greater Bengaluru Area: Bengaluru West City Corporation, Bengaluru South City Corporation, Bengaluru North City Corporation, Bengaluru East City Corporation, and Bengaluru Central City Corporation. The Act also provides for the constitution of a Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) for coordination and a 30-month term for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The GBA would be headed by the CM as the ex-officio chairperson, and the minister in charge of development of Bengaluru would be the ex-officio vice-chairperson. ROADMAP REVISITED Janaagraha has put forward a slew of suggestions to improve GBGA Establish city corporations Complete ward delimitation and reservations by March 2026 Set up Bengaluru Metropolitan Planning Committee Select mayors, ward committee members, and detail their functioning Mandate area sabhas for neighbourhood-level engagement Ensure financial and administrative autonomy of city corporations