1 week ago
Opposition Seeks More Time, Digital Maps After Kolkata Ward Meeting
Kolkata officials held a meeting about changing the boundaries of municipal wards.
Opposition parties asked for more time to study and challenge the proposed changes.
They also wanted digital maps showing exactly where each ward would be.
Some representatives said this work should wait until decisions are made about 27 lakh voter names being reviewed.
They worried that people would not know which ward they belong to.
The parties also asked for public hearings and more information about voter-list parts.
The municipal commissioner said people can submit claims and objections.
She said hearings may take about a week, followed by five or six days to process them.
Opposition parties demanded extending the September 3 deadline for claims and objections.
Parties sought digital maps showing every proposed municipal ward.
They said ward delimitation should follow decisions on 27 lakh disputed voter names.
Representatives requested public hearings, part numbers, and a committee including former representatives.
Kolkata Municipal Commissioner Smita Pandey said hearings and possible modifications would follow the objections process.
- Who
- Representatives of the Left, Congress, and two Trinamool Congress factions, along with Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials.
- What
- An all-party meeting on ward delimitation, followed by opposition demands for more time, digital maps, public hearings, and other information.
- Where
- Kolkata Municipal Corporation headquarters in Kolkata.
- When
- Tuesday; the current deadline for claims and objections is September 3.
- Why
- Opposition representatives said voters whose names are under adjudication may not know which ward they will be assigned to and that the delimitation process is moving too quickly.
Opposition Parties
Civic Authorities
Timeline for objections
Opposition Parties
Opposition representatives said the September 3 deadline should be extended because the election and delimitation process was being rushed.
Civic Authorities
Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials said claims and objections remain open under the announced process; the commissioner did not state whether the deadline would be extended.
Status of disputed voter names
Opposition Parties
Opposition representatives argued that delimitation should occur after decisions on the 27 lakh voter names under adjudication, because affected voters may not know their future ward.
Civic Authorities
The civic authority said objections would be heard and that modifications could be made if ordered by the hearing officer from the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department.
Public information
Opposition Parties
Representatives requested digital ward maps, part numbers linked to wards, public hearings, and a committee including former public representatives.
Civic Authorities
The authority described the formal claims, objections, hearings, and modification process but did not announce acceptance of these additional requests.
Key facts
- Issue
- Delimitation of Kolkata Municipal Corporation wards
- Claims deadline
- September 3
- Voter names under adjudication
- 27 lakh
- Key demand
- Extension of the deadline for claims and objections
- Additional demand
- Digital maps of every ward
- Other requests
- Public hearings, ward-related part numbers, and a committee including former public representatives
- Expected process
- Hearings may take about one week, with another five to six days for processing
Quotes
Baishwanor Chattopadhyay
Trinamool Congress representative from the Kalighat block.
“The department asked us to conduct an all-party meeting, which was held today. The claims and objections are open. After this, a hearing would be conducted, and if the hearing officer from the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department passes an order for modifications, changes would also be made.”
thestatesman.com
“We have demanded that the digital map of every ward be given to all of us. We have also sought the formation of a committee including the former public representatives.”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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