The Government has issued a gazette notification fixing the total number of seats in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi at 250 from the existing figure of 272. The total number of seats reserved for the members of the Scheduled Castes in the MCD in proportion to their number is also determined to be 42.
The previous three corporations in Delhi comprised 272 wards. While the North and South corporations accounted for 104 wards each, the East corporation had 64 wards under its jurisdiction.
"In pursuance of sub-section (5) of section 3 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act 1957, as amended by the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022, the Central government hereby determines the total number of seats of the Councillors in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi as two hundred and fifty (250)," reads the notification."Further, in accordance with sub-section (6) (as amended) of section 3 of the aforesaid Act, the Central Government also determines the total number of seats of the Councillors in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to be reserved for members of Scheduled Castes as forty-two (42), based on the ratio to the total number of seats as the population of Scheduled Castes bears to the total population of Delhi (Census 2011)," it said.
The process of redrawing of municipal wards is going on at a good pace. It is expected the exercise will be completed by November 2022. At least two meetings are held every week for better results and to further expedite it, sources said.
The reunified MCD had formally come into existence on May 22 with IAS officers Ashwani Kumar and Gyanesh Bharti assuming charge as the new civic body's special officer and commissioner, respectively.The erstwhile MCD, established in 1958, was trifurcated in 2012 during Sheila Dikshit's tenure as chief minister. It was recently reunified by merging three civic bodies — North, South and East Delhi municipal corporations or NDMC, SDMC and EDMC. Experts in July had said the civic polls here are not likely to take place before 2023 as redrawing of civic wards is an "extensive exercise".