Bengaluru: The Congress government in the state is planning to approach the Supreme Court, after the High Court ordered the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), to hold elections by August 5.

The BBMP elections slated to be held on July 28, however, the government is contemplating challenging the High Court order that passed strictures against it while directing the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct the elections.

The Karnataka State Commission for SCs and STs and the government had filed interlocutory applications (IA) citing problems with delimitation of wards and seeking reservation as per 2011 Census instead of the 2001 Census, based on which the reservation list has now been announced.

While dismissing the IA, the HC had passed strictures for wasting the court’s time and had imposed cost of `10,000 on the government.

“The State is constrained to move the Supreme Court as the high court had passed strictures and imposed cost,” said Brijesh Kalappa, the government’s legal adviser in New Delhi. The petition may be filed in the SC on July 1 or 2.

Sources in the government, however, said it is not an attempt to delay the poll process as the SEC has announced the schedule. The government’s contention is that there is need for delimitation of wards as per 2011 Census and adequate representation for people from the SC and ST communities.

“The government cannot afford to neglect the concerns of SC and ST communities and that is why it is approaching the apex court. There is no intention to delay the election process,” sources added.

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