Citizen activists and experts strongly oppose the new implementation of the Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) bill in 2024, calling it a direct threat to the constitutional mandate of decentralized urban local governance. They argued that the GBGA, which came into effect on May 15 this year, puts the power of the state government at the center and occupies the principle of the 74th Constitution Amendment.
At a seminar hosted by citizens (citizens Voluntary Initiative) on Saturday, former ICC officials and decentralized advocates advocated Tr Raghunandan for condemning the bill to place power in the hands of the chief minister rather than enabling elected urban local institutions to function independently. “In the face of the Nagalapalika framework, this behavior clearly advocates local autonomy,” he said.
Citizen activist Kathyayini Chamaraj responded to his concerns, stressing that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been deprived of substantive power and that GBG ACT further lowered local officials to consulting roles, weakened sense of responsibility and basic governance.
Satyajit Arikutharam, former chief technical consultant at Dult, warned that the risk of opaque infrastructure decisions such as automotive underground tunnels only under the new regime is a risk centered on elite programs. “Future generations will bear the financial burden of projects that privilege a few,” he said.
Mr Raghunandan advocated the division of Bengaluru into smaller executive branches to help decentralize, but Ms Chamaraj warned that this could lead to financial inequality between regions. “A booming field like Mahadevapura will retain revenue while others are underfunded,” she warned.
Citizens plan legally challenged the bill to restore democracy and responsible governance to cities.
publishing – May 17, 2025 09:28 pm ist
