Governance

The BDA’s new commissioner H Siddaiah met with citizens at the BDA complex in Koramangala on 17 May. An unexpected and dramatic scene unfolded.

The Karnataka government’s new rule on word-limiting RTI applications will increase paperwork, pending cases and appeals, argue activists.

I managed to vote but others not so lucky didn’t find their names in the rolls.

Because of the government’s equity stake and a range of tax, cess and other exemptions granted to BIAL, the Karnataka Information Commission has taken the view that BIAL must respond to RTI applications.

I was not comfortable with the idea of voting. Yet I did.

I voted. And I’m proud to have voted, despite their best efforts to discourage me to vote, every step of the way. And I will vote every time!

A meeting with prime minister Manmohan Singh on 8 May was somehow billed as a non-partisan ‘citizens meet’, with the promise of interaction. Instead, the opposite happened.

Roundup from various localities on citizen groups organising meetings with candidates on the Citizens’ Charter

A dialogue with political parties organised by Vote Bengaluru was an major attempt to move from vote bank to issue based elections.

Karnataka Election Watch is collecting information on candidates with criminal background and has released its first list.

NGOs and corporate foundations in the city have adopted government schools to help improve their quality of education. Children at these schools are benefiting.

A green belt in the prime area of Koramangala was set aside in the 90s through litigation which citizens helped the government win. Today, that protection is under threat.