Term of BBMP mayor, dy mayor extended to 30 months, wards increased to 243

Bengaluru: The State government on Thursday passed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Bill, 2020, which proposed increasing the number of wards in the city to 243 from 198. The Bill was passed amidst the absence of members of the opposition who boycotted the Assembly in protest against the passing of the anti-cow slaughter bill. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy said that the bill sought to add to BBMP the areas which fell outside it.

"The purpose of the bill is to increase the number of wards in Bangalore from 198 to 243 and to include all local bodies outside city limits in the BBMP and extend the term of mayor and deputy mayor from one year to two-and-a-half years," the minister said.

Mr Madhuswamy stated that the main reason behind increasing the number of wards was to simplify administration.

The minister said the bill envisaged increasing the number of zones from eight to 15. The Bill also aims at the inclusion of gram panchayats and taluk panchayats into the new larger BBMP.