NASHIK: The current political scenario is that those who have been preparing for the Nashik Municipal Corporation elections for the last one year will have to wait even longer. The programme for election to Nashik Municipal Corporation is likely to be announced next month i.e. in July.
Earlier senior leaders of the state’s ruling Mahavikas Aghadi had announced that the civic polls would not be held till the OBC reservation was allowed, but the election process has now started as per the Supreme Court order. Hence it is expected that the election programme is likely to be announced by the end of July, assuming that the full preparations take another two months.
Since January, political stalwarts have been waiting for the announcement of the seventh five-yearly municipal election. The pandemic situation had delayed various works right from delay in announcing the ward structure up to final voter list. After the late formation of wards, this year there will be 44 prabhags/wards with three members in 43 wards and one ward (No. 8) in Panchavati will have four members.
The number of members has increased from 122 corporators to 133. Meanwhile, in the history of NMC the elections have been delayed and the administrator has been appointed for the first time.
The state cabinet had said that the ward structure had been cancelled published by the State Election Commission due to OBC reservation. Many had predicted that the ward structure would be formed again. However, after challenging the state government’s decision in the Supreme Court, the court ordered immediate election process.
After this, the commission completed the remaining partial work of ward composition and a hearing was held on the objections of ward composition published earlier.
The final ward structure was announced on May 17. After this, all the municipal election programmes will be held in August and the elections may take place from September to October. Such a prediction was made.
However, without OBC reservation, a draw of lots for women’s reservation held for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and General categories. Out of 133, 67 seats will be reserved for women. In a real sense, the political atmosphere began to heat up from this draw.
