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Despite objections by ex councillors, Punjab govt notifies 50 Mohali MC ward list after delimitation
With the Mohali municipal corporation (MC) elections likely to be scheduled next month, the local bodies department of Punjab on Monday notified a list of 50 wards after delimitation – against which objections had been raised by the former councillors of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
With the Mohali municipal corporation (MC) elections likely to be scheduled next month, the local bodies department of Punjab on Monday notified a list of 50 wards after delimitation – against which objections had been raised by the former councillors of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Former SAD councillor Parvinder Singh Sohana said it was “complete dictatorship” by the Congress and that they will move the Punjab and Haryana high court against the notification.
The aggrieved parties had filed 41 objections against the delimitation with the local bodies department.
They had also filed a plea against the move at the Punjab and Haryana high court, which had sought a response from the Punjab government by January 6. “We will request the high court to bring forward the hearing,” Sohana said.
The director, local bodies, has stated that the objections carry no weight as the delimitation exercise has been carried out in accordance to the rules and regulations of the state.
25 seats for women
The notification also factors in 50% reservation for women, including SC/ST and OBC classes and divided into 23 wards for general category (women) and two for reserved category (women). Last time, the wards were divided in a ratio of 17:2 for women in the general and reserved categories..
Though the placement of wards is somewhat like the last elections, the candidature has been changed. Earlier, ward number 1 with parts of Phase VI, 1 and 2 was in the open general category, whereas this time it has been reserved for a woman candidate (general category).
Ward numbers 39 and 43, which were earlier reserved for women (general category) have this time been kept for women in the reserved category with ward number 49.
In the 50 ward house, wards 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 41, 43, 45 and 47 are reserved for women (general category) whereas even numbered ones are for general (open) category.
In the last elections, wards 3, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 18, 19, 22, 26, 29, 31, 34, 37, 39, 40, 43, 46, and 48 were reserved for women.
Not made members of board
Earlier the former SAD and BJP councillors, in their objections before the local bodies, had alleged that the mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor were not made members of the board carrying out the delimitation exercise and no elected councillor associated with it as mandated.
The only two nominated members on the board, one of them facing trial in a murder case were affiliated to the Congress party, which rules the state.
The SAD and BJP councillors said 70% seats held by them in the previous MC house had been demarcated again or changed in a way that impacted them negatively.
The five-year term of the house ended on April 26 this year.
About 1.87 lakh people are expected to vote in the MC elections, of which 25,000 belong to the scheduled caste (SC) category.
