‘Delimitation committee awaiting clarification from Centre’

Clarity is required on the required number of wards, says source

The three-member committee recently formed for carrying out the delimitation of wards in the Capital is yet to start work as it awaits a few clarifications from the Centre, according to a source familiar with the developments.

The pending clarifications, according to the source, include the total number of wards that are to be carved out of the delimitation exercise, among others. The details are likely to be issued by the Centre in the coming week, the source added.

“The exercise will be carried out based on the 2011 census data, and the previous delimitation exercise, which was completed in 2016, was carried out using the same data. We have the maps and data from the previous exercise which will be helpful. All that remains is for the Centre to issue the pending specifications, including the exact number of number wards, before which the work cannot start,” the source said. 

According to an order dated July 8, the Ministry of Home Affairs had constituted the committee with State Election Commissioner Delhi, Vijay Dev as its Chairman. The committee has to complete the delimitation exercise and submit its report within four months from the order’s date of issue, which, according to the source is “sufficient time” to redraw the ward boundaries in the city. 

The need for the delimitation exercise arose after the Centre’s decision to amend the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act (1957) – which includes a reduction in the number of councillor seats to “not more than 250” from the existing 272 seats. 

The passing of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, resulted in the merger of the three erstwhile municipal corporations — North, South and East, while civic polls in the national capital were postponed after the Centre’s letter to the State Election Commission, on its plans for the unification.

Previously, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal questioned how the committee would function without clarity on the required number of municipal wards, while Delhi BJP Chief Adesh Gupta welcomed the Centre’s order, adding that the BJP was ready and willing to contest the civic polls.