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Much awaited election process for Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has got a push with the civic administration declaring draft delimitation for the forthcoming civic elections for electing 165 corporators through panel system, which is clubbing electoral areas to elect more than one member.
“The PMC will have total of 41 electoral panel with four corporators each to be elected from 40 electoral panel while five corporators from one panel. A total of 165 corporators will be elected to PMC,” said PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram.
He informed that the draft delimitation of electoral panel for civic elections has been prepared as per the guidelines and has been verified by state government.
The draft delimitation is prepared considering the population data of 2011 census which is 34,81,359 of the civic jurisdiction, Municipal commissioner said adding it includes Schedule Caste population of 4,68,633 and Schedule Tribe population of 40,687.
The average population of four member electoral panel is 84,296 which can vary with plus or minus 10 percent, he said adding the only five member is 1,05,495 which is panel No 38.
This draft is now open for suggestion and objection from now onwards, Ram said adding, “The citizens can submit their opinion till September 4 afternoon. It can be submitted in writing at PMC main building, PMC election office at Sawarkar Bhavab and 15 ward offices.”
According to Maharashtra government notification issued in June, the PMC was to prepare the draft delimitation report by July 31 so as to be submitted to the state government by August 5 which was then forwarded to state Election commission by August 11. It was then was supposed to be published by PMC by August 22 for the public and their opinion will be sought till August 28 and complete hearing on the suggestion and objections till September 8. The finalised report by the PMC has to be sent to the state government by September 15; it will then be sent to the state Election commission by September 22. After the approval of the state election commission, the PMC will publish the final delimitation report in the gazette by October 6.
The state election commission after the delimitation process would decide the schedule of polls in consultation with the state government. It is after the supreme court order to initiate the election process for civic polls due to long delay that the state government started the delimitation process. The political parties are speculating that the civic elections will be held in December. The supreme court in May had asked to complete the election process for civic bodies in four months but also allowed them to seek extension if needed. The PMC is without elected body since March 2022 as few citizens had challenged the decisions related to civic elections in the supreme court.
