Bhubaneswar, Jan 3: The Odisha government on Monday issued a fresh notification for ward delimitation and reservation quota for the forthcoming urban poll across the State.
In a letter to all District Magistrate & Collectors, the Housing & Urban Development Department said:
”The State Government, following the Supreme Court’s judgement, amended relevant provisions of the Odisha Municipal Act-1950 by way of Ordinance dated December 30, 2021 and decided that delimitations of wards and reservation of seats for general election to 107 municipalities and NAC, except those located in scheduled areas, shall be made afresh.. Hence, all the communications of this Department in letter No. 17876, dated 25.10.2021, No. 19428, dated 15.11.2021, No. 20285, dated 25.11.2021 & No. 20255, dated 25.11.2021 are hereby superseded in respect of the Municipalities & NACs other than those located in the scheduled areas.
Accordingly, it is necessary to divide the areas within the Municipalities & NACs situated outside the Scheduled Areas into Wards and to reserve seats for SC, ST and Women. While dividing a Municipal area into wards, equitable distribution of population, as published in 2011 census report, among different wards and compactness of area shall be taken into consideration in accordance with the provision of section 12(3)(b)(i) and (ii) of the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950. Further, reservation of seats will be made in favour of SC, ST and Women as per the provisions laid down under section 11 of the D.M. Act. 1950.
As per the provisions of the O.M. Act, 1950 referred to above, the District Magistrates are empowered for delimitation of wards and reservation of seats for SC, ST and Women in the Municipalities/ NACs. The process followed so far related to the Municipalities & NACs located in the scheduled areas shall remain valid. The appeal petition from the persons aggrieved with the Notification of the District Magistrate regarding division of Municipal Area into wards or assignment of wards shall be received only in the office of the District Magistrate concerned to be deposited in a box, kept in the office of the District Magistrate for this purpose, before the stipulated date and time. The District Magistrates shall forward the received appeal petitions along with their comment on each appeal through special messenger to reach the office of the Director, Municipal Administration at Kharavel Bhavan, Bhubaneswar before 27th January 2022 for hearing of appeal and final decision of Appellate Authority as per Section 12(3) of the aforesaid Act.”
Thus the program of delimitation of wards and reservation of seats, in respect of the Municipalities & NACs have been approved by the Government and required to be completed as per the program indicated below:-
Programme for delimitation of wards and reservation of seats of 107 Municipalities/NACs for ensuing election 2021-22.
” It is, therefore, requested that immediate steps may please be taken in the matter to complete the delimitation of wards and reservation of seats as per the date line specified above and compliance may be intimated to this Department from time to time,” it further stated.
