Ward delimitation nears final stage: Despite Mohali civic body expansion, ward count unlikely to exceed 50-52

Another major factor is infrastructure. An official said the existing MC hall at Sector 68 simply cannot accommodate a large number of councillors.“There are no seats or space to accommodate 70 or 75 councillors unless a new hall is constructed, which is not being planned right now,” the official added.

With delimitation entering its final phase, all major political parties, the AAP, BJP, Congress and Akali Dal have stepped up preparations. As the elections will be held on party symbols, insiders say each ward will see four major contestants, while some Independents are also expected to get support from political groups.

Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been working in overdrive to complete population surveys, household verification and voter list corrections ahead of the crucial December 31 freeze, as thereafter boundaries cannot be altered.

Kulwant Singh said, “The delimitation exercise will be wrapped up soon. Residents have also been receiving verification calls as separate electoral rolls are required for the MC elections.”

A group of farmers from the newly added villages has approached the court, challenging their inclusion in the MC. Their plea will most probably be heard this week.

Opposition parties continue to allege bias in the upcoming Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections, claiming nomination papers of many opposition candidates were rejected unfairly. With nearly 150 municipal bodies set to go to elections, parties say they are watching the delimitation process closely.

Despite the significant expansion of municipal limits, Mohali is set to remain a 50-52 ward city, primarily due to logistical constraints and a push for balanced population distribution. Further clarity will emerge after the court hearing and once the administration finalises ward-wise population data before December 31.