Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has returned the contentious Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill 2025, seeking clarification. The bill that proposes to create multiple corporations was passed in both Houses of the Karnataka legislature in the recently concluded Budget session, amid stiff opposition from the BJP. Several civic groups have also opposed the bill.
The governor returned the file (bill) with a direction to resubmit after addressing the “concerns” raised in the two memorandums—each by Bengaluru Town Hall (a civic group) and the Karnataka BJP—submitted to him. He asked the government to address the concerns raised in both the civic and political representations stating it involved “legal” and “public interest” issues.
Gehlot, in a detailed reply, mentioned that the state government had submitted the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill 2025 with the intention to provide for the core principles, institutions, and processes for effective urban governance in the Greater Bengaluru Area.
The bill aims to establish a Greater Bengaluru Authority by setting up seven city corporations to integrate and streamline the political accountability of all public authorities. He acknowledged that a civic association called Bengaluru Town Hall had submitted a detailed representation opposing the bill and stated their concerns were not addressed by the chief minister despite giving a memorandum for the same.
Gehlot also stated that the civic group had urged him to consider their objections in light of several ill-advised infrastructure projects such as the proposed tunnel road, sky deck, and other expressway projects.
The governor pointed out that the leaders of the opposition in both state Assembly and Council, along with the State BJP president had met him on March 19, 2025, and submitted a memorandum opposing the bill.
Citing the BJP memorandum, Gehlot said the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill violated the 74th Constitutional amendment, and that it would disempower the State Election Commission, usurp the role of the Metropolitan Planning Committee, and violate the principles of law. It, besides raising governance and financial issues like burdening governance and financial mismanagement, would also weaken citizen participation and pose a threat to Bengaluru’s culture and demography, according to the governor.
The governor also drew attention to the argument that decentralisation was a “failed model” as the bill proposes to divide the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) into seven municipal corporations, similar to the Delhi Metropolitan City model, which has failed.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister H.K. Patil said, “The governor had, time and again, returned several bills. The government will resubmit the bill for the governor’s assent after giving clarifications sought by him.”
The Congress government has enacted 83 laws in the last 22 months. The government has passed 28 bills in the just concluded Budget session, and the governor has given assent to five bills, and sought clarification on seven bills, including the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill 2025.
