Introduction

Candidate Endorsement is another key activity underElection Habba, an election awareness initiative by B.PAC to encourage greater citizen participation in the electoral process.

In 2018 Assembly elections there are 483 candidates contesting in 27 Bengaluru city Assembly Constituencies including 27 incumbent MLA’s. From amongst this onerous list we have identified 28 candidates from 18 constituencies (excluding Jayanagar AC which is postponed) for endorsement.

After knowing and understanding the nominated candidates’ plans and strategies for their respective constituencies, B.PAC has endorsed candidates based on various parameters mentioned above, such as, record of public service, public standing, level of education, no serious criminal record, History of violence/abuse (whether convicted in a court of law or not) against women or children.

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ನಗರ ವಿಧಾನಸಭಾ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿ.ಪ್ಯಾಕ್ ಅನುಮೋದಿತ ಅಭ್ಯರ್ಥಿಗಳು

Endorsement Process

The endorsement process consisted of two step review:

  • Step 1- Bengaluru City Assembly Constituencies
  • Step 2 – Application of Endorsement Criteria on the candidates

Step 1 – Bengaluru City Assembly Constituencies

From 28 Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru Urban District, we looked into BBMP wards of Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru city with the following characteristics:

  • Wards and general sense of active citizen community influencing participative engagement with MLA
  • Middle class community, newly developed layouts/areas, apartment communities
Based on the above, we did not consider Anekal Assembly Constituency.

Step 2 – Application of Endorsement Criteria

List of contesting candidates from the 27 Assembly Constituencies from major and new age parties and independents with promise were shortlisted.

The endorsement criteria applied to them was as follows:

1. Elimination Criteria:

    • Serious criminal record
    • History of violence/abuse (whether convicted in a court of law or not) against women or children
    • Record of misuse of any public office for private gain
    • Serious Negative feedback from socially active opinion makers & RWA’s in the AC
    • For Incumbent MLA’s who have scored 50% or less in our MLA Rating exercise

2. Selection Criteria:

  • Visible engagement in public service
  • Recognition in the community for leadership on civic issues
  • Demonstrated capability to improve the constituency
  • Accessibility to Public
  • No conflict of interest between Public office and Private interest
  • Educational qualification, youth and women has an added weightage

The candidates were under the following categories:

· Incumbent MLA

      • MLA who have scored 50% and above in objective MLA Rating considered for further selection

· Ministers representing Bangalore AC’s

      • Along with the above points, Additional Expert opinion on Minister’s achievements in the Ministry were obtained

· New age parties, B.CLIP Leaders and Independents

      • Promise of change, fresh thinking, free from entrenched positions, passion to bring about fundamental change in the way of doing things
      • Promise of good governance, transparency and accountability
      • Raised important civic and social issues of public interest
      • Committed to a constituency development vision
      • B.PAC elimination criteria

· Common to all candidates

    • Details of Assets & Criminal Record (as per affidavits filed with the EC and search of publicly available information)
    • Alignment with citizens’ perception on key issues affecting their constituencies based on feedback from constituency (RWAs and Citizens)

An election awareness initiative by B.PAC to encourage greater citizen participation in the electoral process