As Kolkata is headed for a delimitation exercise ahead of the Kolkata Municipal polls expected at the end of this year’s, the eastern metropolis’s southern parts representing the ‘added areas’ are anticipated to get an addition of around 60 per cent under the proposed redrawn map.
The civic body is working on completing the delimitation exercise, considering the upcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections that are likely to be held in the month of November. For this, the field surveys, which are an integral part of the exercise, have been conducted by various teams to create a balance in the population represented in each ward of the municipal corporation.
According to official sources, a report based on the findings and recommendations was submitted at the civic body headquarters today. As the authorities decided to increase the number of wards to 200, the city’s population has been worked upon based on the addition to the older 100 wards and 44 newer wards.
“In the older 100 wards, 30 more wards have been recommended for addition. The remaining 44 wards, which were regarded as added areas, are to be increased to 70, making the total 200,” an official source said.
The report is to be examined by the civic body authorities before being forwarded to the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department. Upon approval, the draft of the delimitation could be published on 31 July, after which suggestions from various political parties and citizens would be taken before giving it final shape.
Notably, on 15 June, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had proposed delimitation of wards under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation jurisdiction.
As the civic body is headed for elections soon, the KMC is making efforts to complete the exercise at the earliest, as the existing term of the last KMC elections is nearing its end on 7 December.