Amendment Ensures Municipal Corporations Retain Autonomy and Full Democratic Powers
The Greater Bengaluru Administration (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aimed at safeguarding the autonomy of local municipal corporations, was passed in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday after an extensive debate. The Bill, presented by Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar, clarifies that the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will not interfere in the functioning of municipal corporations constituted under the 74th Constitutional Amendment.
Shivakumar explained that despite the earlier law, petitions had been filed in court questioning whether the GBA had authority over corporations, raising concerns that municipalities were being brought under government control. This amendment removes any such ambiguity. Corporations will function independently, and their powers remain intact, he told the House.
Responding to opposition queries, Shivakumar emphasized that the amendment was introduced to prevent future misuse and ensure elected mayors and council members retain full democratic powers. He recalled the spirit of the 73rd and 74th Amendments introduced by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, which strengthened local self-governance. Congress will never allow those rights to be diluted, he asserted.
The Bill also ad’r’s’es fiscal concerns, with Shivakumar clarifying that funds collected in one corporation cannot be transferred to another, as it would violate constitutional provisions. He noted that Mahadevapura generates the highest tax revenues, while other zones rely on state support, making financial autonomy crucial. The amendment was supported after deliberations with oppositeion leaders, with Shivakumar stressing that the government seeks consensus and clarity rather than control. We will not politicize Bengaluru’s future. This law is only to empower corporations, he concluded.
