Issue Final Notification On Ward Formation By May 17: SEC To BMC

According to the latest reports, the state election commission (SEC) has asked 14 municipal corporations that include, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to declare the final notification on, ward formation by May 17.

Some of the other municipal corporations told to follow a similar suit include the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Kalyan-Dombivali, Ulhasnagar, Nagpur, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad. The other civic bodies include, Kolhapur, Akola, Amravati, Solapur and Nashik. 

An official was quoted in an account by the Times of India elaborating on how with this notification, the ward formation process could be finished by May 17. Following this, the procedure for ward reservation will be completed.

The third step, the official uttered would be the splitting of electoral rolls ward wise. The pre-poll exercises will be finished once the steps are completed. The official opined that this entire cycle will take another 5-6 weeks. 

Based on narratives, since the pre-poll would take 5-6 weeks, officials claim that once the monsoon hits, it won't be possible to conduct elections in Maharashtra.

It has been reported that on Monday, May 9, state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray along with Shiv Sena leaders conducted a meeting with SEC Commissioner UPS Madan. 

A minister reportedly elaborated on how the meeting was conducted to seek clarity on some problems with the recent SC order. To this, the SEC is anticipated to seek clarity and get back to them. The minister believes that conducting elections during the monsoon will not be possible since the 14 corporations are across Maharashtra. 

The SEC had reportedly given the go-ahead for commencing the ward formation in January 2022. However, when it was in the final stages the Maharashtra government brought into force an amendment that took the SEC's power to conduct pre-poll exercises. 

However, after the Supreme Court verdict to SEC of notifying local body polls schedule, SEC asked many to recommence the pre-poll exercise from where it was stopped. Corporations officials were called to the SEC office and told to submit the final ward formation by May 12.