Now, four-member ward system in municipal corporations in Maharashtra except in BMC

Industries minister Uday Samant, who tabled the bill in the legislative Assembly said, “The multi ward system will ensure due representation in proportion to the population.”

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, said that in the absence of elections, municipal corporations have been left in the hands of administrators and the people have been suffering as the bodies are ruled by officers leading to unprecedented corruption.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav questioned as to why the bill was brought in a haste when the civic body polls are unlikely to be held anytime soon.

The single ward system which was introduced in 2020 was again changed to multi-member ward system with the provision of three members in 2022. The number has now again changed to four.

“After taking the review of the present situation and with a view to ensure effective implementation of services and development schemes in the wards, it is necessary to provide that each of the wards of the Municipal Corporations shall elect as far as possible four councillors, but not less than three councillors and not more than five councillors,” said the statement of objects and reasons of the bill.

BJP MLA Ashish Shelar, while justifying the system and the decision of the government, said, “The cases related to the OBC reservation in the local body polls and other issues related to these elections are pending in the Supreme Court. If we are moving the apex court, we will have to have clarity on the reservation and the number of wards reserved for the categories that get quota. There is no other reason to make a haste in changing the number of corporations in wards.”