Karnataka Assembly Passes Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill Amid BJP Opposition

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Assembly on Monday passed the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, a significant legislative move aimed at improving the city’s administration, planning, and investment landscape. The bill proposes the formation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), which will be headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and will hold administrative, planning, and executive powers over the city.

The Karnataka government has defended the bill, stating that it is designed to enhance governance, ease administration, boost investments, and create employment opportunities in the capital city. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly opposed the bill, claiming it is politically motivated and not in the best interest of the people.

Priyank Kharge: “This Bill is for Bengaluru’s Progress”

State Minister Priyank Kharge emphasized that the bill is in the best interest of Bengaluru’s residents, citing its potential to streamline governance and drive economic growth. “This bill is in the interest of the people of Bengaluru, governance, administration, investments, and employment,” Kharge told reporters.

Kharge also criticized the BJP for opposing the bill without providing constructive alternatives. “BJP seems to have a problem with everything we propose for progress. They opposed the steel flyover, now they complain about traffic jams. We are suggesting tunnels, and they have problems with that too. We are ready to listen if they have a better plan, but opposing just for the sake of opposing is not good for the state,” he said.

Deputy CM DK Shivakumar: “We Want a Stronger Bengaluru”

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also defended the bill, arguing that it would make Bengaluru a more efficiently managed city. “We are making Bengaluru stronger. We want proper administration for the city. The CM will be heading the Greater Bengaluru Authority, and we will have options to create more municipal corporations. We have not disturbed the 74th and 75th Amendments,” Shivakumar explained.

Congress MLAs Back the Bill, Call It a Step Toward Modernization

Other Congress leaders also voiced their support for the bill, stressing its importance for Bengaluru’s development and long-term sustainability.

• Minister Satish Jarkiholi affirmed that the bill was introduced for the welfare of the people.
• Congress MLA Ajay Singh described the legislation as an essential step to maintain Bengaluru’s status as India’s Silicon Valley. “The intent of the government is to develop Bengaluru and ensure it remains a hub for IT companies. The main goal is to improve the city’s infrastructure and governance,” Singh said.
• Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad argued that the bill would bring much-needed administrative reforms and decentralize power to make governance more transparent. “We have passed this bill to benefit the citizens of Bengaluru. The BJP is opposing it for political reasons, but we believe the Governor will see merit in this bill and approve it,” Arshad told ANI.

BJP Opposes the Bill, Calls It Politically Motivated

Despite Congress’s assertions, the BJP has rejected the bill, accusing the ruling party of attempting to centralize control over Bengaluru’s governance for political gain. BJP leaders raised concerns about the structure of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and claimed that the bill undermines local governance by consolidating power under the Chief Minister.

The final approval of the bill now rests with the Governor, who will review its provisions before making a decision. If signed into law, the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill could bring sweeping changes to the administration of India’s IT capital, affecting everything from infrastructure projects to municipal governance.