Nagpur Municipal Corporation will go to polls with four prabhag system. The notification issued by Government on Tuesday categorised the muncipal corporations in A, B, and C as per their population except Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The State Government has issued a new notification for the formation of wards for municipal polls in the State. According to the notification, the Municipal Corporation election will be held on the 4-prabhag division system. The number of prabhags are likely to increase in Nagpur. At present, there are 38 prabhags. It can increase to 42. The last prabhag of the city can be of 3-members or 5-members. If the number of prabhags increase, then the number of members will also increase.

 

With the increase in the number of prabhags, the population-area is also expected to increase. The current division population is around 60 thousand. It can increase to 70 to 75 thousand. On June 10, the Urban Development Department of the State Government issued this notification. According to the notification, the Municipal Corporations will have to start the process afresh for the formation of wards. This notification has been issued for ‘A’ class Municipal Corporation Nagpur, Pune; ‘B’ class Municipal Corporation Thane, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad and ‘C’ class Municipal Corporation Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Kalyan Dombivali. The State Legislature had in its previous session passed the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the very day it was introduced. The system, introduced in 2017 by then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, was changed and one member per ward was brought in 2019.

 

It was replaced by three members in 2021, and then in 2022. The members in the Opposition had questioned the frequent change amending the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act. By issuing the notification, the Municipal Commissioner has been asked to prepare the draft division structure and submit it to the State Election Commission for approval. After the Municipal Commissioner presents the draft of the prabhag structure, the State Election Commissioner has to approve it. After which the Municipal Commissioner will publish the draft of the prabhag structure. After it is published, objections and suggestions will be sought on it, which will be heard. After the hearing by the authorised officer, the proposal for the final prabhag structure will be sent to the State Election Commission for approval. After the final prabhag structure is approved, it will be made public. As per the instructions of the Supreme Court, this process has to be completed as soon as possible. Issuing new guidelines, the government has ordered the Municipal Commissioner to start preparations for the prabhag structure.

 

The prabhags will be created afresh. For this, the help of Google Map will be taken. Prabhags will be decided as per the assembly voter list. For this, 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D' and 'E' will be used for increasing the number of members. The population of the division can be 10 percent less or more. The division will be created from the north direction. Starting from the north, the division will be calculated in the north-east, east, west, south direction. While determining the boundary of the prabhag, one will have to take care of the natural boundaries like big roads, streets, rivers, drains, etc.

 

While deciding this, it will also have to be kept in mind that there will be no part of building, chawl, house exist. Especially the instructions not to divide the Scheduled Caste-Tribe settlements have been given in the notification. Municipal elections were last held in 2017. The term ended on March 5, 2022. Elections were not held since then. In 2017, elections were held according to 4-prabhag system. Then the number of divisions was 38, of which 37 prabhags had 4-4 members and the last 38th prabhag had 3 members. Out of 151 members, 30 seats were reserved for SC, 12 for ST and 33 for OBC category. 76 seats were for the general category. Changes in this system are possible in the new prabhag structure.