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Siliguri Wards to Rise to 63 Amid Delimitation Debate
Siliguri’s city council will have 63 wards instead of 47.
A ward is a smaller area that chooses a local representative.
Officials say the change is needed because Siliguri has grown quickly and some wards have many more people than others.
They want local services and representation to work better.
Some political leaders support the plan for these reasons.
Other parties say the government made the decision without discussing it with them.
They also worry that the ward boundaries may help the BJP in future elections.
Durgapur is also set to increase its wards from 43 to 53, and elections are expected after the boundaries are changed.
The Siliguri Municipal Corporation will expand from 47 wards to 63 under a state government notification issued on August 31.
Officials cited rapid urbanisation, population disparities, geography, economic factors and the need for better civic administration.
The proposal could divide 19 existing Siliguri wards in Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts into two or three wards.
Political parties broadly supported rationalisation, but the Trinamool Congress and Left Front alleged the process was conducted without consultation and could benefit the BJP.
Durgapur Municipal Corporation will also increase from 43 to 53 wards, with delimitation expected to precede civic elections.
- Who
- The West Bengal state government and urban development department announced changes affecting the Siliguri and Durgapur municipal corporations; political parties have responded.
- What
- Siliguri’s wards will increase from 47 to 63, while Durgapur’s will rise from 43 to 53 through delimitation.
- Where
- The changes concern Siliguri in north Bengal and Durgapur in West Bengal’s West Burdwan district.
- When
- The notification was issued on August 31; the delimitation process is now being initiated, with Durgapur elections expected by November according to a local BJP MLA.
- Why
- Officials cited rapid urbanisation, unequal ward populations, geography, economic considerations and the goal of providing faster, more efficient civic services.
Government and Supporters
Opposition Parties
Need for More Wards
Government and Supporters
State officials and BJP leader Amit Jain say rapid urbanisation and major population differences between wards require divisions to improve representation and civic services.
Opposition Parties
The Trinamool Congress and Left Front agree that heavily populated wards should be divided, but object to how the decision was made.
Political Motive
Government and Supporters
Supporters present the restructuring as an administrative measure intended to decentralise municipal governance and deliver services more efficiently.
Opposition Parties
Trinamool leader Gautam Deb and former CPM councillor Saradindu Chakraborty say the process was unilateral and allege the ward divisions may be designed to benefit the BJP in civic elections.
Municipal Boundaries
Government and Supporters
The current notification begins delimitation of existing wards based on population.
Opposition Parties
Residents and political leaders want clarity on whether Siliguri’s limits will also expand to include fast-growing areas such as parts of Matigara and Fulbari.
Key facts
- Siliguri wards
- Will increase from 47 to 63.
- Durgapur wards
- Will increase from 43 to 53.
- Notification date
- August 31.
- Siliguri ward proposal
- Fourteen wards in Jalpaiguri district and five in Darjeeling district were proposed for division into two or three wards.
- Population basis
- The restructuring proposal used population figures from the 2011 Census, along with density, geography, historical importance and economic considerations.
- Ward 46 example
- BJP leader Amit Jain said Ward 46 has around 30,000 residents, nearly 22,000 voters and 22 polling stations.
- Election status
- Siliguri is currently being run by an administrator, while Durgapur’s civic elections have been due since 2022.
Quotes
Saradindu Chakraborty
Former CPM councillor
“Considering the increasing population, there was a popular demand for increasing the number of wards to ensure better civic services. Keeping this in view, the BJP government of the state has taken this historic decision.”
telegraphindia.com
“Also, the manner in which the wards have been divided shows that BJP has done so with political intentions so that it can reap benefits during the civic polls.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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