Pune: PMC publishes draft delimitation map, Yerwada is city’s largest ward

Citizens are invited to file their objections to and suggestions for the draft map by February 14, the public hearing for which should be completed by February 28. By March 2, the expert committee has to submit its suggestions to the state election commission which will then declare the final map of delimitation for the forthcoming civic elections.

A total of 173 corporators will be elected to the civic general body for the next five years. The current term of the general body ends on March 15. The civic polls are likely to get delayed due to the pandemic and the state government is likely to appoint an administrator till the new general body is elected.

The approximate population of the city is considered to be 35,56,824, including 4,80,017 persons in the SC category and 41,561 in the ST category, based on the 2011 census.

Baner-Sus-Mhalunge ward will have two corporators, while the other 57 electoral wards will have three corporators each based on the multi-member electoral ward system conducted in the PMC. During the current five-year tenure, the wards have had a maximum of four corporators.

With 87 of the 173 seats reserved for women, the PMC is going to have more women corporators than men. This is in accordance with the state government legislation to keep 50% of the seats reserved for women in local civic bodies. Also, 23 seats will be reserved for the Schedule Caste category and two for the Schedule Tribe category. The remaining 148 seats have been kept for the open category as the court has withheld political reservation for OBCs until information on category-wise population is collected by the state government.