The Chhattisgarh Government has issued notification on various wards for the forthcoming urban body elections to be held in the State.The elections in 3,230 wards of Municipal Corporations, Municipalities and Nagar Panchayats will be held in November-December this year.
According to the new notification, the 10 Municipal Corporations will now have total 568 wards, whereas, the 32 Municipalities will have 757 wards and 127 Nagar Panchayats will have 1,905 wards where elections will be held.
There is no change in the number of wards of Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC), whereas, in other municipal corporations, more than one ward has been increased. Similarly, number of wards has been increased in municipalities also.
However, number of wards in Nagar Panchayats will remain as it is. It was said that Municipal Corporations would have minimum 40 and maximum 70 wards. Number of wards in Bhilai Municipal Corporation has been increased to 70, Durg has 60 wards, Bilaspur 66, Jagadalpur, 48, Korba 67, Raigarh 48, Ambikapur 48, Chirmiri 40 and Rajnandgaon has total 51 wards. Ward number of these Municipal Corporations has been increased based on population of the ward.
The State has total 32 Municipalities, which would have 15 to 40 wards. Bhilai-Charoda, Birgaon, Dhamtari will have 40 wards. Among the remaining municipalities, Jashpur has 20 wards, Baikuntpur 21, Manendragarh 22, Shivpur Charcha 20, Surajpur 18, Kharsiya 18, Dipika 21, Mungeli 22, Janjgir Naila 25, Champa 27, Sakti 18, Akaltara 20, Bhattapara 31, Balodabazar 21, Gobra Nawapara 21, Tilha Nevara 22, Balod 20, Dillirajhara 27, Kumhari 24, Jamul 22, Bemetara 21, Kawardha 27, Dongargarh 24, Khairagarh 20, Mahasamund 20, Kondagaon 22, Kanker 21, Bade Bacheli 18 and Kirundal will have 18 wards.
It was said that the Nagar Panchayats in the State would have maximum 15 wards. All the 127 Nagar Panchayats already have 15 wards each. According to sources, the State Election Commission has issued guidelines on the voter list. Urban bodies’ elections would be held based on the voter list prepared for lok Sabha only. From this list, ward-wise voter list would be prepared. 5,500 EVMs will be purchased
The State Election Commission has ordered for purchase of 5,500 EVMs. Apart from that, the Commission, by writing a letter to the Central Election Commission, has urged to make EVMs available. The Commission has made efforts to bring EVMs from Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and other states also.