Local government in Karnataka

Local government in Karnataka is the third tier constituting the three-tier administration set-up in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a system of local government which forms the last level from the Centre.[1][2]

## History

[edit]

In ancient India, including Karnataka, despite a centralized administration under a King, there was some opportunity for local governance. This is evident from the epigraph inscriptions found across many places in Karnataka which acknowledge right to elect representatives to the assembly or Council. System similar to Panchayat Raj existed in India during Vedic period and has a History of over thousands of years. Systems similar to Grama Panchayat existed in the History with different names in different Timeline. They were called Grama Sabha, Uru, Vokkalu, Gramakaryalaya, Panchayti Kate etc.. They were headed by Urasamastaru, Oora mukhyastharu, Zameendars, Jahagirdars etc. Guidelines i.e., Constitution was compiled by the heads and were called with different names like Samaya, Sthiti, Maryade, Vyavaste, Achara vyavaste. Panchamutts (Not Matha), Agrahara, Brahmapuri, Brahmeswara Keri were the names of the areas where Brahmins resided and was headed by Mahajanaru, Oorodeya, Aiyyanavaru. Assemblies in Towns existed with names like Barabaluthi, Ayagara, Pura, Hittu, Nadu, Mahanadu, Nadagounda Pergade, Nadasabhe, Mandala, Nadu panchayati, Nyaya Samiti etc. Gaunda Prabhu, Nadashyanabogha, Nadagounda, Gouda, Heggade were the chief persons of such bodies. Nagara Mahajana, Pattana shetty, Pattanaswamy, Pattanavergade, Gowda Pattana swamy were the patriarchs of larger Urban areas namely, Nagara, Nakara, Halaru, Nagara samooha, Nakarasamooh, Mahanagara, Bananjupattana etc. Residential Tax was called Manevana and other Taxes were called Jakati. Shanuboga, Senabhovaru were the people who collected the Tax.[3]

## Overview

[edit]

Urban local bodies in Karnataka are segregated into multiple categories like City Corporations, City Municipalities, Town Municipalities and Town Panchayats based on their population. They are governed according 1964 Act for Municipalities (for City or Town Municipalities and Pattana / Town Panchayats) and 1976 Act for Municipal Corporation (for Corporations). The Government of Karnataka has set the guidelines for municipalities according to the 74th Amendment for the Constitution of India. Accordingly, at present there are 10 City Corporations, 59 City Municipal Councils, 116 Town Municipal Councils and 97 Town / Pattana Panchayats in Karnataka. Government has created Notified Area Committees (Four NACs in number) to provide municipal services for specified areas like industrial areas. The main sources of income for the municipalities are:

* Revenue collection from buildings and lands
* Water supply billing
* Licensing for the Infrastructure building and Trade
* Taxing on the advertisement
* Duty on certain transfers of property

## Administrative units

[edit]

They are categorized based on life style of the inhabitants.[4]

### Urban local bodies

[edit]

According to 2011 census of India, Karnataka has about 39.6% of total population living in urbanized areas.[5] Considering the demography, they are further classified into the following categories.[6][7][8]

1. City Corporation
2. City Municipal Council
3. Town Municipal Council
4. Town Panchayat

### Rural local bodies

[edit]

Rural local bodies include the panchayat raj institutions of this state. There are three levels in this system as follows.[9][10]

1. Village Panchayat
2. Taluk Panchayat
3. District Panchayat

### Panchayat details by districts

[edit]

#### Grama Panchayat details

[edit]

Source:[11]

District Name  | No of GPs  | No. of Officers  | No. of Previous Members  | No. of Current Members

|
|
|
|

Bagalkote | 198  | 2126  | 2804  | 3179
Bengaluru Urban | 93  | 2343  | 1630  | 2439
Bengaluru Rural | 101  | 2055  | 1650  | 1901
Belagavi | 506  | 5393  | 8309  | 8396
Ballari and Vijayanagara (Except Harapanahalli Taluk)  | 237  | 2441  | 3310  | 3652
Bidar | 185  | 2621  | 2873  | 3127
Vijayapura | 212  | 2741  | 3512  | 3914
Chamarajanagara | 130  | 1972  | 2009  | 2045
Chikkamagaluru | 226  | 2147  | 2334  | 2305
Chitradurga | 189  | 2630  | 3136  | 3380
Dakshina Kannada | 228  | 1717  | 3186  | 3422
Davanagere and Harapanahalli Taluk of Vijayanagara | 196  | 2628  | 3196  | 3238
Dharwad | 144  | 1447  | 1734  | 2029
Gadag | 122  | 1443  | 1578  | 1726
Kalaburagi | 263  | 3591  | 3817  | 3897
Hassan | 267  | 3852  | 3603  | 3682
Haveri | 223  | 2244  | 2872  | 3139
Kodagu | 104  | 827  | 1230  | 1356
Kolar | 156  | 2890  | 2508  | 2726
Koppal | 153  | 2157  | 2562  | 2597
Mandya | 233  | 3440  | 3658  | 3632
Mysuru | 266  | 3693  | 4144  | 4683
Raichur | 179  | 2561  | 3222  | 3265
Shivamogga | 271  | 2526  | 2753  | 2707
Tumakuru | 330  | 5402  | 5206  | 5312
Udupi | 158  | 1300  | 2255  | 2466
Uttara Kannada | 231  | 1815  | 2577  | 2690
Chikkaballapura | 157  | 2589  | 2322  | 2437
Ramanagara | 127  | 2409  | 2056  | 2031
Yadagiri | 123  | 1756  | 1989  | 2245
TOTAL | 6021 | 76756 | 88035 | 93618

#### Taluk Panchayat details

[edit]

Source:[12]

District Name  | No of Taluks  | No. of Officers  | No. of Previous Members  | No. of Elected Members  | No. of Elected Members Entered

|
|
|
|
|

Bagalkote | 6  | 100  | 118  | 130  | 129
Bengaluru Urban | 4  | 80  | 72  | 97  | 94
Bengaluru Rural | 4  | 77  | 68  | 77  | 77
Belagavi | 10  | 191  | 338  | 345  | 344
Ballari and Vijayanagara (Except Harapanahalli Taluk)  | 7  | 147  | 133  | 176  | 149
Bidar | 5  | 92  | 118  | 131  | 127
Vijayapura | 5  | 108  | 144  | 159  | 159
Chamarajanagara | 4  | 53  | 85  | 89  | 89
Chikkamagaluru | 7  | 94  | 109  | 107  | 107
Chitradurga | 6  | 88  | 128  | 136  | 136
Dakshina Kannada | 5  | 93  | 123  | 136  | 136
Davanagere and Harapanahalli Taluk of Vijayanagara | 6  | 72  | 129  | 107  | 125
Dharwad | 5  | 92  | 76  | 82  | 82
Gadag | 5  | 71  | 71  | 75  | 75
Kalaburagi | 7  | 137  | 155  | 179  | 177
Hassan | 8  | 100  | 144  | 153  | 151
Haveri | 7  | 111  | 115  | 128  | 126
Kodagu | 3  | 49  | 49  | 50  | 50
Kolar | 5  | 75  | 102  | 111  | 110
Koppal | 4  | 65  | 102  | 109  | 105
Mandya | 7  | 186  | 156  | 155  | 153
Mysuru | 7  | 108  | 171  | 187  | 182
Raichur | 5  | 81  | 113  | 142  | 117
Shivamogga | 7  | 96  | 72  | 116  | 116
Tumakuru | 10  | 181  | 203  | 215  | 215
Udupi | 3  | 54  | 95  | 98  | 98
Uttara Kannada | 11  | 159  | 129  | 130  | 129
Chikkaballapura | 6  | 93  | 99  | 108  | 107
Ramanagara | 4  | 67  | 79  | 81  | 81
Yadagiri | 3  | 51  | 82  | 94  | 83
TOTAL | 176 | 2971 | 3578 | 3903 | 3829

#### Zilla Panchayat details

[edit]

Source:[10]

District Name  | No. of Officers  | No. of Previous Members  | No. of Elected Members  | No. of Elected Members Entered

|
|
|
|

Bagalkote | 75  | 32  | 36  | 35
Bengaluru Urban | 62  | 34  | 50  | 50
Bengaluru Rural | 74  | 18  | 21  | 21
Belagavi | 86  | 86  | 90  | 90
Ballari and Vijayanagara (Except Harapanahalli Taluk)  | 50  | 36  | 40  | 40
Bidar | 98  | 31  | 34  | 34
Vijayapura | 42  | 38  | 42  | 42
Chamarajanagara | 59  | 21  | 23  | 23
Chikkamagaluru | 92  | 34  | 33  | 33
Chitradurga | 56  | 33  | 37  | 37
Dakshina Kannada | 36  | 34  | 36  | 36
Davanagere and Harapanahalli Taluk of Vijayanagara | 102  | 35  | 36  | 36
Dharwad | 54  | 22  | 22  | 22
Gadag | 35  | 18  | 19  | 19
Kalaburagi | 65  | 35  | 47  | 47
Hassan | 62  | 40  | 40  | 40
Haveri | 62  | 30  | 34  | 34
Kodagu | 62  | 29  | 29  | 29
Kolar | 52  | 28  | 30  | 30
Koppal | 45  | 20  | 29  | 29
Mandya | 80  | 40  | 41  | 41
Mysuru | 71  | 46  | 49  | 49
Raichur | 29  | 35  | 38  | 38
Shivamogga | 64  | 31  | 31  | 31
Tumakuru | 57  | 57  | 57  | 57
Udupi | 39  | 25  | 26  | 26
Uttara Kannada | 40  | 36  | 39  | 39
Chikkaballapura | 51  | 26  | 28  | 28
Ramanagara | 61  | 21  | 22  | 22
Yadagiri | 71  | 22  | 24  | 24
TOTAL | 1832 | 993 | 1083 | 1082

## Elections

[edit]

Elections are conducted by Karnataka State Election Commission and held once in five years. Karnataka State Election Commissioner is appointed by Governor of Karnataka.[13] Head of the Panchayats includes:[14][15][16][17]

* Urban bodies

1. Corporators are the members of a City Corporation led by a Mayor.
2. Councillors are the members of a City/Town Municipal Council led by a chairman.
3. Councillors are the members of a Town Panchayat led by a President.

* Rural bodies

1. Councillors are the members of a Village/Taluk/District Panchayat led by a President[18][19]

## See also

[edit]

* 2021 Karnataka local elections

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Local Government". National Portal of India. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
2. ^ "State election panels: Independent of central EC, with similar powers". The Indian Express. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
3. ^ "GP Link Document - Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department". rdpr.karnataka.gov.in. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
4. ^ "A ruse to put off local body elections". Deccan Herald. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
5. ^ "50% of Karnataka to be urbanised by next year | Bengaluru News - Times of India". The Times of India. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
6. ^ "Urban population clocks 31.5 % growth in Karnataka". 23 May 2013.
7. ^ "Integrated Government Online Directory". goidirectory.gov.in. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
8. ^ Moudgal, eep (29 November 2021). "Karnataka: Amid fears of Covid-19 clusters, SEC announces polls to 60 urban local bodies | Bengaluru News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
9. ^ "BJP-backed Candidates Lead Karnataka Gram Panchayat Polls, Secure 4,228 Seats So Far". News18. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
10. ^ a b "Statistics Page". Panchatantra.kar.nic.in. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
11. ^ "Karnataka state election commission postpones gram panchayat polls". Hindustan Times. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
12. ^ "Statistics Page". Panchatantra.kar.nic.in. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
13. ^ "Karnataka State Election Commission". karsec.gov.in. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
14. ^ "What Is Election Commission of India (ECI)?". Business Standard India. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
15. ^ "Election Commission directs all state electoral officers to immediately redress all pending voter applications". The Statesman. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
16. ^ "Karnataka to set up commission to redraw ZP, TP constituencies". The Hindu. 5 September 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
17. ^ "State election commissioners should be independent, says SC". The Telegraph. 13 March 2021.
18. ^ Rao, Madhu (29 May 2020). "Karnataka State Election Commission postpones gram panchayat polls". indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
19. ^ "State Election Commissioner Conditions of Service Rules, 1994". bareactslive.com. Retrieved 6 December 2021.