NMC polls set in motion as Maha orders redrawing of ward boundaries

Time of India

a day ago

Nagpur: After a three-year delay, Maharashtra govt on Monday issued a formal order initiating the ward formation process for elections to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). The order, issued by the urban development department, empowers the NMC commissioner to begin redrawing ward boundaries based on the 2011 census, adhering to population norms and social factors.
This development follows Supreme Court's May 6 directive, instructing completion of the electoral process to local self-govt bodies within four months. With Tuesday's order, the govt set the stage for resuming democratic processes in major civic bodies, including Nagpur, which was under administrative rule after the previous general body was dissolved.
In its last term, NMC had 151 corporators representing 38 prabhags (wards), with most electing four members each, except for one prabhag, which elected three.
BJP held an overwhelming majority with 108 corporators, followed by Congress (29), BSP (10), Shiv Sena (2), NCP (1), and an independent. Also, five members were nominated.
The last general body was dissolved in March 2022, since then NMC is being ruled by an administrator. BJP ruled the civic body for three consecutive terms. As per the order, all A, B, and C class municipal corporations must now begin the ward formation process under the multi-member ward system.
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As Nagpur city falls under category A, the Nagpur civic commissioner must draw the new ward boundaries in consultation with the State Election Commission, factoring in geographical continuity, SC/ST representation, access to civic amenities, and avoiding disruption of settlements.
The process will involve multiple stages, including public hearings on objections and suggestions, with the final ward maps to be published only after approval by the Election Commission.
Each ward will preferably elect four corporators, though three or five-member wards are allowed in exceptional cases. Ward boundaries must follow natural dividers like roads or rivers and be drawn on Google Earth with supporting population data from census block maps.
Officials have been instructed to avoid mistakes of previous elections, which were marred by legal disputes over faulty demarcations.
While the exact number of corporators and wards will be finalised later, this govt order marks a crucial first step towards restoring elected representation in Nagpur.
The move is expected to galvanise political parties, especially BJP and Congress, ahead of the high-stakes municipal polls.
Though no order has yet been issued for zilla parishad elections, the urban development department has released a separate directive to initiate the election process to municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra. In Nagpur district, this will cover elections to 14 municipal councils — Butibori, Kalmeshwar, Kamptee, Kanhan Pipari, Katol, Khapa, Mohpa, Mowad, Narkhed, Ramtek, Saoner, Umred, Wadi, and Wanadongari.
Additionally, polls will be held for eight nagar panchayats — Bhiwapur, Hingna, Kuhi, Mahadula, Mouda, Parseoni, Godhani, and Besa-Pipla. This order signals a broader resumption of democratic processes at the grassroots across both urban and semi-urban local bodies.