Mumbai: The BMC has received 232 suggestions and objections for its recently-concluded ward reservation process. After hearing these suggestions and objections, a final draft will be published in the government gazette on June 13. For the upcoming election, the BMC has increased its electoral wards from 227 to 236.
On May 31, the BMC conducted a lottery for ward reservation and 118 wards were kept for women, 15 for Schedule Caste and 2 for Scheduled Tribes. Thereafter, the civic body sought suggestions and objections on the process. As per civic official, from June 1 to June 6, 232 suggestions and objections were received. Initially, the BMC received few suggestions but in the last four days more than 225 suggestions came in.
The Congress has expressed displeasure on the ward reservation and threatened to knock on the doors of the High Court.
Ravi Raja, former Congress corporator and opposition leader said, "Approximately 25 suggestions have been filed by the Congress members. In 2017, a lottery was conducted for both ward reservation as well as ward demarcation. Then this time, why was the lottery process adopted in ward reservation and not for demarcation. We even rasied objections on the formula which the BMC adopted for the ward reservation process."
Bhalchandra Shirsat, BJP corporator and standing committee member said, We are ready to fight the election. We aren't scared of this ward demarcation and reservation process. We will fight and win the upcoming BMC election."
(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
