The State Election Commission (SEC) on Wednesday asked civic corporations in Maharashtra, whose term ends in 2022, to start the process of forming wards for the upcoming elections by following the single-corporator ward system.
The term of the civic bodies in Mumbai, Thane, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Panvel, Mira Bhayander, Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune, Solapur, Nashik, Malegaon, Parbhani, Nanded-Waghela, Latur, Amravati, Akola, Nagpur and Chandrapur will end in 2022.
In a letter to the municipal commissioners, the SEC directed them to start the process of forming wards from August 27, and stated that it would be reverting to the single-member ward system from the multi-member one.
The wards should be formed keeping in mind the population data of 2011 census, changes in the geographical factors of the wards, and reservations should be adopted in keeping with the directions of the courts, the letter stated.
The process of preparing the draft of ward limits should be done well in advance so that the polls are completed on time, the SEC said.
The programme of actual ward formation, reservations and drawing of lots would be announced in due course, it was stated.
