Bengaluru: In another setback to the govt’s efforts to restructure Bengaluru’s administration, governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot has returned the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024, seeking clarifications before granting assent. The govt has taken a dim view of the decision, pointing out that the governor has time and again stalled “important” legislations.
The bill, which proposes to decentralise Bengaluru’s civic governance by creating multiple municipal corporations, was passed in both Houses of the legislature during the recent budget session. However, Raj Bhavan sent the file back, directing the govt to resubmit it with the clarifications it sought. Confirming the development, law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil said, “We will re-submit the bill soon.”
Over the past two years, the bill has faced multiple hurdles and stiff resistance from citizens, civic groups, and BJP, all of whom had submitted detailed memorandums to the governor opposing the proposal. One of the concerns raised by Raj Bhavan is that the bill violates the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which mandates the role of the metropolitan planning committee in urban development.
Besides conflict with the Constitution, representations by civic groups and BJP also argue that the proposed changes could lead to bureaucratic expansion, financial mismanagement, weakened citizen participation, and interference with powers of elected local bodies. They say similar decentralisation models have failed in other cities and warn of potential risks to Bengaluru’s cultural and demographic integrity.
Gehlot has taken note of these concerns and urged the govt to address them before proceeding further. “I have gone through both the representations and their concerns regarding the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill. I am of the opinion that, before going further, the concerns raised in both memorandums need to be clarified, since it involves legal as well as public interest issues,” he states.
Patil said Gehlot has sought clarifications on six other bills, besides Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill. He said that during the recent budget session, 28 bills were introduced and passed in both Houses. “We have already received assent from the governor for five bills and issued notifications,” Patil said.
He said the govt has enacted 83 laws in the past 22 months — 17 in 2023, 47 in 2024, and 19 so far in 2025. Additionally, four bills passed in earlier sessions are awaiting the governor’s assent, while five have been sent to the President for approval.
Patil said, “We have noticed that the governor is time and again returning bills and seeking clarifications. We will discuss a course of action at the next cabinet meeting.” Patil said the govt is preparing to send 20 more bills for the governor’s approval, with the law and parliamentary affairs department having processed 119 laws in 22 months.
