Palghar, Maharashtra: The much-awaited ward reservation draw for the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) General Elections 2025 has been announced, bringing both relief and shock across political circles. While the process was carried out smoothly and transparently, the results have significantly affected male candidates from the general category, as most wards have gone to reserved and women’s seats.
Limited Opportunities For General Male Contenders
According to the announced reservation list, only one seat in 16 wards has been left open for general male candidates, while in Ward No. 20, all seats have been reserved—leaving no opportunity for any open-category male contender.
Political Parties Race To Field Women Candidates
The development has caused major disappointment among male aspirants who had been preparing for years, while political parties are now racing to identify strong women candidates to contest from the newly reserved wards.
The draw was conducted on Monday at the VVMC headquarters under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Dr. Indurani Jakhar (IAS), following State Election Commission directives.
VVMC Structure And Reservation Breakdown
The Vasai-Virar civic body consists of 29 wards and 115 members. The reservation breakup is as follows:
. Scheduled Castes (SC): 5 seats, of which 3 are reserved for women.
. Scheduled Tribes (ST): 5 seats, of which 3 are reserved for women.
. Other Backward Classes (OBC): 31 seats, including 16 reserved for women.
. General (Open): 74 seats, with 36 reserved for women.
In total, 58 out of 115 seats have been reserved for women across all categories, signaling a significant rise in female representation this election.
Ward No. 20 Fully Reserved
The ward reservation list has also stirred intense discussions in political camps. In Ward No. 20, the following allocations were made:
. Seat ‘A’ reserved for Scheduled Caste,
. Seat ‘B’ reserved for Scheduled Tribe,
. Seat ‘C’ reserved for OBC (Women), and
. Seat ‘D’ reserved for General (Women).
As a result, no open-category male candidate can contest from this ward, forcing several aspirants to look for opportunities elsewhere.
VVMC Set For First Election Since 2020
The VVMC’s tenure had ended on June 28, 2020, and since then, the civic body has been under administrative rule for over five and a half years. This will be the first major election since then, and expectations are high among political hopefuls and citizens alike.
Draft List Publication And Objection Window
The draft reservation list will be published on November 17, 2025, and citizens can submit objections or suggestions between November 17 and 24.
Transparent Process Witnessed By Citizens
The draw ceremony was conducted in a transparent manner, with school students picking lots in front of attendees. The proceedings were broadcast live on local cable networks and YouTube.
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Officials And Dignitaries In Attendance
Prominent officials in attendance included Dr. Jakhar, Additional Commissioner Sanjay Herwade, Deputy Commissioners Swati Deshpande, Ajit Muthe, Archana Dive, and Harshala Rane, City Engineer Pradeep Pachange, Executive Engineer Sanjay Kulkarni, and Deputy Engineer Satishkumar Suryawanshi, along with political leaders, media personnel, and municipal staff.
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