The AAP and the Congress gave a thumb down to the draft order on delimitation of municipal wards in Delhi, calling in question the range of population variations and changes in physical boundaries of wards.
The office of the Delimitation Committee for Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) wards on Monday issued a draft order inviting suggestions and objections from political parties and the general public. The Central Government had earlier this year unified the erstwhile South, North, and East municipal corporations of Delhi, reducing the earlier 272 wards to 250 under the sole MCD.
The three major political parties in Delhi- BJP, AAP, and Congress — said they were still analysing the draft order on delimitation and will submit their suggestions after getting feedback from their leaders and workers in different parts of the city. The preliminary feedback is that delimitation of wards has been done in a rather "illogical manner", said AAP's Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai. "Those involved in delimitation of ward just picked one Mohalla (locality) from a ward and put it in another ward. They didn't even know which area is being kept in which ward and why," Rai said, citing an example.
Rai, who is the development minister in AAP government in Delhi, said under the draft, the population in some wards varies from around 45,000 to over 75,000. "So the development fund for one ward with 45,000 people will be similar to that for the ward with 75,000 people which will create issues," he said.
He said the AAP is reviewing the draft and will submit its suggestions based on experience from the ground. The Delhi Congress leaders also cited several shortcomings in the draft delimitation. "In Okhla Assembly, areas under Sarita Vihar ward having a sizeable population of minorities has been shifted to Abul Fazal Enclave ward. “This will make it tough for Congress to win Sarita Vihar where the party candidate had won twice earlier," said Delhi Congress communication department vice chairman Parvez Alam.
He said that delimitation committee of the party will meet to discuss the issues related with redrawing of the municipal wards on Tuesday.
The stakeholders have been given time till October 3 to submit their objections and suggestions to the Delimitation Committee.