Expediting the process for the already delayed urban local body (ULB) polls, the Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Department on Monday issued a notification asking all district collectors to complete delimitation of wards and reservation of seats by December 13.

It is pertinent to note here that elections to the civic bodies in the state have been pending since 2018. The five-year term of 65 ULBs, including Berhampur Municipal Corporation, has expired since September 29, 2018, while the tenure of 48 civic bodies including Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, and Sambalpur municipal corporations expired in February 2019, said official sources.

Director of Municipal Administration Sangramjit Nayak today wrote a letter to all District Magistrates in this regard.

“After careful consideration, the government has decided that the delimitation of wards and reservation of seats for the general election to Municipalities/ Notified Area Councils of the State shall be made afresh”, the Director of Municipal Administration asked the Collectors in official notification.

“Five-year term of Councils of 101 ULBs and six month period in case of newly constituted four NACs have already been completed”, it said.

Delimitation of wards and reservation of seats, in respect of the Municipal Bodies, has been approved by the Government and required to be completed by December 13.

Delimitation of wards and Reservation of Seats by the concerned District Magistrate and the issue of draft notification inviting objections and suggestions on the proposed delimitation of wards and reservation of seats by the District Magistrates have to be completed by November 9.

The deadline for receipt of objection and suggestions by the District Magistrates will be 18 November. Publication of the Notification relating to the delimitation of wards and reservation of seats has to be completed by November 29.

Appeal against the publication of Notification made by the District Magistrates for delimitation of wards and reservations of seats before the Government in H & UD Department has to be completed by December 13 beginning November 29, it concluded.