The BMC will not conduct any hearing on suggestions and objections received on the electoral ward reservation lottery. A civic officer said that as per the State Election Commission’s (SEC) guideline, a report will be prepared after consideration of suggestions and objections. This report will be published in the official gazette after the BMC commissioner’s approval, he said.
After the SEC direction, the BMC had undertaken the ward reservation lottery process on May 30. wherein 118 wards were kept reserved for women candidates, 15 seats were reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates and two for Scheduled Tribes. Among 15, eight seats will be reserved for SC women candidates and one for ST women candidates. A total of 232 suggestions and objections were received by the administration from the general public.
According to deputy municipal commissioner Sanjog Kabre, who is conducting the process under the guidance of BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, said, “As per the guidelines given by the SEC, every municipal commissioner in the state will have to examine suggestions and objections at his own level. Accordingly, we are examining each suggestion and objection; we also give a ruling on it. After approval of the commissioner, it will be published on Monday.”
Former Congress party corporator and opposition leader in the BMC, Ravi Raja said, “We have not been called for a hearing. We have been told they will directly publish the report on Monday. We will go to the High court against it. Ideally, they should have held a hearing on suggestions and objections, but here in the BMC they are doing what they want.”
