Bhubaneswar: Following the amendment of the municipal laws removing reservation for OBC people, the state government has initiated a fresh move for delimitation of wards and reservation of seats in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for the upcoming rural polls.
Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) Sangramjit Nayak has written to all Collectors and Commissioners of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur in this regard.
Nayak said that consequent to the judgement of the Supreme Court regarding reservation of seats for backward class of citizens (BCC), the state government has amended the relevant provisions of the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950 and Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, 2003 by way of ordinances.
The government has decided that the delimitation of wards and reservation of seats for the general election to the 107 municipalities and NACs (except those located in Scheduled areas) and three corporation towns of the state will be made afresh, he said.
Officials have been asked to conduct the delimitation and reservation of seats as per the 2011 Census report and in accordance with the provisions of the two Acts. Further, reservation of seats will be made in favour of SC, ST and women as per the provisions under Section 11 of the Odisha Municipality Act, 1950.
As per the Act, the district magistrates are empowered for delimitation of the wards and reservation of seats for SC, ST and women in the municipalities/ NACs. The process followed so far related to the municipalities and NACs located in the Scheduled areas will remain valid, pointed out Nayak.
Appeal petitions from the persons aggrieved with the notification of the DMs regarding division of municipal area into wards or assignment of wards will be received in the office of the DM concerned before the stipulated date and time.
Collectors were asked to complete the delimitation process by January 3, while people having any issue with the process can submit his/her plea by January 12. The District Magistrates will publish the list of the reserved seats January 13.
People who would be aggrieved even after this can submit their grievances to the Housing and Urban Development department between January 13 and 27. Hearing of the grievances will start from January 28, Nayak said in the letter. However, no final date has been set for completion of the entire procedure.