If you’re a government employee or a regular on the roads of Bengaluru’s power corridor, plan for a shorter day and a bit of a traffic lull on 3rd June. The state is making way for the ceremony, so a half-day has been put in place for the main complexes near Vidhana Soudha to handle security and the like.
Government order and closures
It’s official: the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms has put out an order for a half-day off on 3rd June for those working at Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and the Multi-Storeyed Building. Put in the Governor’s name, it’s to make sure the event runs without a hitch.
The paperwork has the oath-taking set for 4:05 PM on 3rd June at the Karnataka Legislature. You can bet there will be a lot of wheels turning in the area once the dignitaries, party heads and the general public start to show up.
Here is what the order boils down to:
– A half-day on 3rd June
– Some offices in the Vidhana Soudha area will be affected
– Oath at 4:05 PM at the Legislature
Crowds, security and movement around the seat of power
With the kind of turnout they are looking at, the government has made the connection between the closure and the need to keep things secure and the traffic flowing. So, for the afternoon of 3rd June, you won’t be able to get into the offices around the Legislature and Vidhana Soudha; it’s to keep the ceremony from being interrupted.
Political consultations ahead of oath
On the other side of things, DK Shivakumar was in New Delhi to sit down with Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge. They were over at the President’s house with some of the state’s top men, like Siddaramaiah and KC Venugopal, to go over who gets what in the cabinet and in the organisation.
There is a slight mix in the numbers: while the DPAR says 4:05 PM at the Legislature, some have it down as 4 pm at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru. Either way, the party’s upper echelon is in the process of finalising the Deputy CM’s spot and some ministerial positions.
Cabinet formation and roles under discussion
Siddaramaiah has already had his meetings in Delhi, and even MLA Priyank Kharge was in with the President. We should have a clearer picture of how the cabinet is going to be put together once these talks are done.
What this means for citizens and the new administration
For anyone in the central part of town, whether you work for the state or not, the partial holiday is a sign of how much of a production this is and the security it demands. Don’t be surprised by some congestion as people make their way to the venues.
Then there is the politics of it. This is the first time in 40 years a ruling party hasn’t been re-elected, so the headwinds for the new Karnataka government are real. As for the industry and civil society, they’ll be keeping an eye on how fast the new administration can move on urban and economic issues while they sort out their own house.
