6 days ago
Kolkata Ward Count May Rise Beyond Draft Delimitation Plan
Kolkata may create more local voting areas called wards.
A draft plan suggested increasing the number from 144 to 209.
Officials now think two more wards may be needed, bringing the total to 211.
The government wants each ward to have similar numbers of voters.
It also wants no ward to have more than 16,000 voters.
However, 45 wards do not meet those goals in the draft plan.
One ward would have about 32,000 voters, while some others would have about 13,000.
Some people have complained that the delimitation work was done too quickly.
Kolkata’s municipal election is expected in November.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation may increase its wards from 209 to 211.
A draft plan already proposes raising the number of wards from 144 to 209.
Voter-balance and the 16,000-voter limit could not be met in 45 wards.
One central Kolkata ward would have about 32,000 voters under the draft.
Kolkata and Howrah municipal elections are scheduled for November this year.
- Who
- The West Bengal Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Department, Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials, and complainants regarding the draft plan.
- What
- The proposed number of Kolkata municipal wards may increase from 209 to 211 after concerns about uneven voter distribution.
- Where
- Kolkata, West Bengal; the adjacent Howrah Municipal Corporation is also undergoing ward delimitation.
- When
- The draft list was released earlier this week, and Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls are scheduled for November this year.
- Why
- Officials say additional wards may be needed to better balance voter numbers and support equitable distribution of development funds.
Government Delimitation Rationale
Complaints About the Draft
Need for additional wards
Government Delimitation Rationale
Officials say increasing the number to 211 may help balance voter numbers across wards and enable a more equitable distribution of development funds.
Complaints About the Draft
Complainants argue that the draft exercise was conducted hurriedly and still leaves substantial differences in voter numbers.
Voter distribution
Government Delimitation Rationale
The state government’s stated goal is to keep ward populations balanced and limit each ward to 16,000 voters.
Complaints About the Draft
The draft reportedly includes one ward with about 32,000 voters, 12 wards averaging 18,000, and 32 wards averaging 13,000.
Key facts
- Current Kolkata wards
- 144
- Draft Kolkata wards
- 209
- Possible final Kolkata wards
- 211
- Voter limit target
- 16,000 voters per ward
- Affected Kolkata wards
- 45 wards do not meet the stated voter-balance target in the draft
- Central Kolkata example
- One ward is listed with about 32,000 voters
- Howrah draft wards
- The Howrah Municipal Corporation would increase from 50 to 68 wards
Quotes
Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Department official
An official from West Bengal’s Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Department
“Despite the directive to maintain a balance in the numbers of voters in each ward and also limit the maximum number of voters in each ward to 16,000, the guideline could not be followed in the case of 45 wards even after proposing to increase the number of wards from 144 to 209 in the draft delimitation list.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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