Photo used for indicative purpose only. Source: Internet
Himachal ULB Elections: SEC begins ward delimitation in four towns as poll timeline remains unclear
Shimla, March 13,
A fresh administrative exercise to redraw municipal ward boundaries has begun in parts of Himachal Pradesh, even as uncertainty persists over the conduct of elections in several newly created urban local bodies.
The State Election Commission (SEC) has initiated the delimitation process in select towns following recent expansion and restructuring of urban local bodies. The exercise currently covers Rohru and Narkanda in Shimla district, Una town in Una district and Bir in Kangra district.
Rohru, Narkanda and Una have undergone territorial expansion with adjoining areas being merged into the respective town councils, while Bir has recently been constituted as a new urban local body. As a result, ward boundaries in these areas are required to be freshly demarcated before municipal elections can be conducted.
According to the schedule issued by the Commission, the draft delimitation proposals were released on March 12. Residents have been invited to submit objections or suggestions on the proposed ward boundaries until March 19.
The respective Deputy Commissioners will review these objections and issue their decisions by March 23. In case any stakeholder wishes to challenge the decision, an appeal can be filed before the Divisional Commissioner within seven days, with the appeals to be decided by April 1. The final notification regarding ward delimitation will then be issued by the Deputy Commissioners by April 2.
After the delimitation process is completed, the next step will involve determining reservation of wards for women and other categories. This exercise is expected to conclude by April 6, following which a detailed report will be submitted to the State Election Commission.
However, the broader issue of municipal elections in newly created urban bodies remains unresolved. The Urban Development Department has simultaneously directed all Deputy Commissioners and District Election Officers to urgently implement reservation rosters for 53 urban local bodies, describing the task as both urgent and time-bound.
At the same time, the state government has reportedly conveyed that it is not presently inclined to hold elections in 21 recently constituted municipalities and has sought the State Election Commission’s consent on the matter.
The Commission, however, has indicated that elections across urban local bodies should ideally be conducted simultaneously. According to officials, holding polls in phases would lead to repeated enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, potentially affecting development works and increasing administrative costs.
The matter has gained additional importance in view of court directions. Both the Himachal Pradesh High Court and the Supreme Court have directed that reservation rosters for urban bodies be finalised by March 31 and municipal elections be conducted before May 31.
Himachal Pradesh currently has 75 urban local bodies, including municipal corporations, municipal councils and nagar panchayats. Elections are due in all these bodies except the Shimla Municipal Corporation. The tenure of more than 47 urban local bodies has already expired, and administrators have been appointed to manage their functioning in the interim.
With the delimitation process moving forward in some towns while policy differences emerge over elections in newly created municipalities, the timeline and structure of the upcoming urban local body elections in the state remain uncertain.
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The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.