Outgoing councillors demand greater powers for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike

BENGALURU: Councillors across party lines favoured the extension of the mayor’s term from the existing one year to 2.5 years, at an online roundtable of the city corporators organised by Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy.

Two corporators who have served as mayors of the city including M Goutham Kumar who completed his tenure last week, said that one year was too short for mayors to execute their plans and vision. “The term of mayor in a city like Mumbai is 2.5 years. Unfortunately, in Bengaluru mayors change every year, making it difficult for them to implement their ideas,” Kumar said.

The Karnataka government has proposed to bring in structural reforms in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and a joint select committee of the legislature is looking at the proposal including the extension of the mayor’s terms. The term of the city municipal council ended on September 10 and the elections are likely to be delayed due to the pandemic and the state government’s plan to revamp BBMP.


Twelve councillors who participated in the roundtable session shared their experiences, challenges and limitations.

“Fifty thousand crores of BBMP property is still not with the municipal body. The BBMP can reduce its dependence on the state for funds and be self-sufficient if we can claim those properties,” one of the councillors said.

Janaagraha CEO Srikanth Viswanathan said: “councillors across party lines are focused on two key aspects, one, need for greater powers and funds for BBMP councillors and two, urgent need for BBMP administration to raise its own revenues through property tax and leveraging its real estate assets. We Bengalureans must strengthen the hands of our BBMP Councillors and work with them as one team to increase powers, functions and funds for BBMP.”