38 wards for next NMC polls

Nagpur: In the new system, the Nagpur Muncipal Corporation (NMC) will have 38 wards for the next five years, that is, from 2017-22. While 37 wards will have four corporators each, one of the wards will comprise three as 151 members would be elected now. The new wards system will come into effect from 2017 municipal elections.
State election commissioner JS Sahariya had issued a notification for demarcation of wards on August 20.As per amendment made by the state government in the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations (MMC) Act on May 19, each ward will have four corporators. The number of corporators for NMC was announced as 151.
To reach the figure, the state election commission (SEC) made provisions of having one ward with three or five corporators. As per the formula set by the SEC, the NMC decided to have 37 wards with four corporators each and one with three.
In the existing two-member ward system, the NMC comprises 74 wards with two corporators in 73 wards and three in one ward for a total of 145 corporators. The total number of corporators comes to 150 after adding five co-opt corporators. Now, the number of elected corporators would be 151. The decision on number of co-opt members is likely to be taken in the coming days. Probably, the NMC will get six co-opt corporators taking the total to 157.
The SEC has asked civic bodies to name four corporators in one ward in alphabetic order such as 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D.
As per the notification, the wards demarcation will have to begin from North moving towards North-East, East, West and conclude at South. The formula was the same in ward demarcation done during municipal elections 2012.
Hudkeshwar-Narsala will also have corporators for the first time. Residents in these areas will vote in municipal election for the first time. It is also likely that Hudkeshwar-Narsala would become the three-member ward.
All municipal corporations including NMC, Amravati and Akola from Vidarbha will have to complete the proposal for ward demarcation by September 23. The SEC will approve the draft on September 23 followed by notification inviting suggestions and objections between October 10 and 25. Hearing will take place on November 4 and ward demarcation will be finalized on November 25. Reservation in wards will be finalized through draw system on October 7.
The SEC held meeting with representatives of municipal corporations and also zilla parishads, which too are going for elections in 2017, to clear doubts. Municipal commissioner Shravan Hardikar, collector Sachin Kurve and additional municipal commissioner Ravindra Kumbhare were present.
The SEC has directed to ensure electoral rolls properly and not to miss any new registration. The cut-off date for electoral rolls is as January 1, 2017. The SEC also directed to ensure awareness about voters registration and also voting during September 15 and October 14.