NMC Ward Delimitation Deadline Set For Sept 4

Time of India

a day ago

Nagpur: Maharashtra govt initiated the formal groundwork to hold elections for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), mandating a strict and time-bound schedule for ward delimitation.
The move marked a critical step toward restoring elected governance in the city, where polls were pending since the previous term expired in 2022.
In a letter dated June 12, issued by urban development department (UDD), deputy secretary Priyanka Kulkarni-Chhapwale directed municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari to strictly adhere to the newly announced delimitation timeline. The communication reinforced govt's commitment to conduct urban local body elections in compliance with Supreme Court directives.
The detailed instructions came in the wake of an earlier govt order issued on June 10, which laid the foundation for the electoral ward formation process. The latest directive made it unequivocally clear that no delays, extensions, or exceptions would be permitted under any circumstances — including public holidays or administrative constraints.
A videoconference was held on Thursday by the UDD in which local administration was issued directives to follow.
The civic body was instructed to ensure geographical continuity while demarcating wards. Boundaries need to be drawn with consideration to natural and physical landmarks such as major roads, lanes, rivers, streams, mountains, railway tracks, and flyovers. Importantly, no building, chawl, or house is to be split between two wards.
Open spaces, primary schools, and playgrounds need to be completely incorporated into one ward to avoid any ambiguity or administrative conflict during the election process.
Officials were directed to base ward formation on the 2011 Census, using both physical inspections and digital mapping tools such as Google Maps. Local officers are expected to complete ground-level verifications, publicise the draft wards, accept and address objections from citizens, and submit finalised ward plans to the State Election Commission (SEC) within a rigid time frame, the order stated.
The municipal commissioner would oversee execution at the city level, and the state warned of accountability measures if deadlines missed.
With this schedule in place, Nagpur is on track to elect a new civic body later this year. The redrawing of ward boundaries was anticipated to significantly influence electoral dynamics, especially in key areas where political margins were historically narrow.
This marked a pivotal moment for Nagpur's urban governance, with upcoming elections likely to spark renewed public interest and political mobilisation across party lines.
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