Women power to be unleashed in BBMP

BANGALORE: Very soon, we will witness the law of equality at its best at the council meetings of none other than Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), as the State Cabinet has decided to bring in some significant changes in the urban local bodies, in line with the rural ones, through amendment to the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964 and Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976. Early this month, the state government declared that 50 per cent seats will be reserved for women candidates in city corporations, city municipal councils, town municipal councils and town panchayats and the said amendment will be initiated in the next session of State legislature.Presently, there are 198 wards in BBMP, of which 107 comes under General category, 66 Backward Classes, 25 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Under each of these categories, 33 per cent or one-third of the seats is reserved for women. This implies that 36 seats are reserved for women in the General category, 22 Backward Classes, nine for Scheduled Castes  and Scheduled Tribes. Hence, currently 67 wards are represented by women candidates. With the new amendment coming into effect, the whole scenario in the composition of the council is likely to change. In conversation with City Express, councillors share with us their views on this particular move.