The competitiveness of cities—and ultimately, the economic competitiveness of countries—depends on cities being able to attract and retain highly productive industries and highly productive workers. In turn, ensuring the quality of life in cities and towns depends on city governments being efficient providers of urban services that are responsive and accountable to their constituents. Whereas it is sometimes assumed that city governments are automatically responsive and accountable to their citizens, in practice, the degree of decentralization, participation, and accountability varies considerably in cities around the world.
Although India’s cities continue to urbanize rapidly, and while there is considerable variation among state-level practices, its city governments are not always as responsive and accountable as cities in some other global regions. Within India, Karnataka is the eighth-most populous state, with over 29 million urban residents living in its 11 City Corporations, 61 City Municipal Councils, and 238 Town Councils and Panchayats.
A report released in August 2024 by Janaagraha, a Bangalore (Bengaluru)-based civil society advocate for transforming the quality of life in India’s cities and towns, critically reviews decentralized participatory governance in Karnataka’s urban local bodies.
The report highlights significant shortcomings in the functioning of ward committees and area sabhas, which are intended to foster collaboration between citizens, civic officials, and elected representatives, reflecting the ideals of Swaraj (self-governance). While these platforms are designed to facilitate participatory governance, the report reveals substantial challenges in their implementation across the state.
Ward committees and area sabhas serve as vital mechanisms for empowering citizens in local governance, yet the report outlines how these bodies remain largely non-operational in most cities. Furthermore, the inability of city governments to exercise control over crucial functions and the delays in municipal elections have severely impacted governance quality in Karnataka.
The key findings and recommendations from the report call for improved devolution of functions, enhanced transparency, and the urgent operationalization of citizen participation platforms.
Key Challenges in Karnataka’s Urban Local Governance
- Lack of operational ward committees: Only one out of the 11 city corporations in the state has functional ward committees. This is a glaring gap in the execution of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, which mandates the formation of such committees in cities.
- Delayed elections and council formations: On average, there is a 22-month delay in holding municipal elections, and a further 11-month delay in electing mayors. Such lags undermine the democratic process and prevent timely governance.
- Limited devolution of functions: Despite the constitutional mandate, city governments do not have full control over 15 of the 18 functions outlined in the 12th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. This lack of autonomy limits their effectiveness in addressing local issues.
- Opaque governance: Citizens often lack access to critical information, including council proceedings, development projects, and policy decisions, which compromises transparency and accountability.
Recommendations to Strengthen Participatory Governance
Janaagraha’s report provides a comprehensive set of recommendations to address these challenges:
- Effective Devolution and Timely Elections: The state government must devolve the 18 essential functions mandated by the Constitution in their entirety, ensuring that city governments have both the autonomy and resources to perform effectively. Elections for city councils and mayors should be conducted on time, and the State Election Commission should be empowered to manage delimitation and reservation processes independently.
- Operationalization of Area Sabhas: Area sabhas should be notified and activated immediately, allowing citizens to participate in governance. City governments must be mandated to form ward committees within one month of elections and launch awareness campaigns to encourage citizen involvement. Development funds should be tied to the regular functioning of these participatory bodies to ensure sustained citizen engagement.
- Enhancing Transparency and Accountability: Municipalities must publish key documents, including council meeting minutes, project details, and financial data, in the public domain. A live projects dashboard should be maintained to track ongoing and completed projects, and critical meetings should be webcasted to promote transparency.
Devolution of Functions: A Critical Gap
While Karnataka’s state laws theoretically devolved 17 of the 18 functions outlined in the 74th Constitutional Amendment of the Indian Constitution, the assessment reveals that this devolution is largely incomplete. Many city governments act merely as implementing agencies rather than autonomous decision-makers, with several key functions overlapping with state-controlled parastatals. Only three functions are fully devolved to city governments, highlighting the need for genuine decentralization.
Delayed Municipal Elections and the Impact on Governance
Timely elections are essential for functional and responsive governance. However, the CAG audit reveals that elections and council formations in Karnataka are often delayed by over two years, leading to a democratic deficit. A significant 89% of Urban Local Governments (ULGs) attributed delays to legal challenges, particularly concerning the reservation system for mayoral and deputy mayoral posts.
Governance Frameworks for Ward Committees and Area Sabhas
Despite the legal mandate, the governance frameworks for Ward committees and area sabhas remain underdeveloped. No clear guidelines or byelaws exist for the functioning of these bodies, limiting their effectiveness. Furthermore, while citizen participation is statutorily required, in practice, it remains minimal due to the lack of proper institutional support.
Stakeholder Actions and Legal Interventions
The report highlights the significant role of citizens and civil society organizations in advocating for the institutionalization of citizen participation in urban governance through the establishment of ward committees and area sabhas. Judicial interventions, particularly from the High Court of Karnataka, have been pivotal in facilitating the formation of these committees in cities like Bengaluru and Mangaluru. Furthermore, the report stresses the recommendations from constitutional and statutory authorities, including the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission and the Karnataka State Finance Commission, on the importance of citizen engagement in urban governance. These bodies assert that the formation of ward committees and area sabhas is essential for enhancing citizen involvement in city governance.
Conclusion
Decentralized participatory governance holds immense potential to transform the urban local governments in Karnataka. However, as this report illustrates, the state must move beyond tokenism and take decisive steps to empower city governments, operationalize citizen participation platforms, and enhance transparency. The successful implementation of these reforms will not only improve development outcomes but also ensure that urban governance truly reflects the aspirations of its citizens. With the right legislative support, institutional reforms, and active citizen participation, Karnataka cities can set an example for urban governance in India.
Access full report here: A critical review of decentralized participatory governance in cities of Karnataka. Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy. 2024
