BBMP is like a Tughlaq durbar, says JD(S) leader

Opposition leaders in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) M Nagaraj and Padmanabha Reddy alleged that promotions within the civic are made on the basis of political influence, disregarding ability and seniority.

Addressing the press on Tuesday, Nagaraj said that 135 employees of the BBMP have been promoted out-of-turn, even though there were another 135 employees who had put in several years of work, without being justly rewarded. Nagaraj explained that there were 135 employees who had joined the BBMP as daily wage workers, whose services were regularised in 1994, after the Supreme Court ordered that those employees who had worked from 1984 to 1994 ought to have employee status.

“The employees who joined the corporation as daily wagers, whose services were later regularised, have been denied promotion and financial benefits. Several of these employees continue to work in the second division clerk and first division assistant cadre, despite putting in several years of service.

However, there are junior employees who joined recently, who have been promoted despite not having the necessary seniority.”
Nagaraj said that the employees who had been denied promotion had submitted more than 40 memoranda to the state government; they have filed a writ petition in the high court in 2004. In November 2005, the high court directed the BBMP to take corrective action within three months. In January 2011, the high court again directed the BBMP to prepare a seniority list and promote the 135 affected employees by March 20, but those promoted have not been the ones with the seniority.

Reddy said that the BBMP administration was like a Tughlaq Durbar, that favours officials on deputation with it.