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Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
State deprived of `2,314 cr over govt neglect in holding timely local body polls
Hyderabad: The Telangana BJP has accused the state government of undermining the administration of local bodies by failing to conduct elections. This inaction has resulted in the state missing out on central funds totalling Rs 2,314 crore over the past 18 months, negatively impacting development projects and infrastructure in both rural and urban local bodies. Former MP Dr Boora Narsaiah Goud pointed out that the terms of 12,769 Sarpanches in the state ended on January 31, 2024. Additionally, elections for 5,717 MPTCs across the state were supposed to conclude in May 2024. The elections for 538 ZPTCs, MPPs, and ZP chairpersons have already been completed for a year. Moreover, 128 out of 130 municipal bodies in the state have completed their terms, yet the election process has not yet begun. The state government's actions are unconstitutional, as local body elections fall under Articles 243-A, 243-U, and 243-ZA of the Constitution of India. The responsibility for conducting these elections lies entirely with the state government and is overseen by the State Election Commission. By failing to conduct timely elections for local bodies, the state government has disregarded its constitutional mandate. As a result, Telangana missed the opportunity to withdraw Rs 1,514 crore from the 15th Finance Commission and approximately Rs 800 crore from the 14th Finance Commission, he alleged. According to the Constitution, the state government holds the power to determine the level of reservations in local body elections. However, it has failed to clarify this issue. The unfulfilled promises and halted development funds due to the non-holding of elections highlight the failures of the Congress government. Therefore, it is imperative that local body elections be held immediately to prevent further losses to the state. While the Constitution grants the state government authority over reservation levels in local body elections, the Congress party's commitment to providing 42 per cent reservation to BCs has yet to be implemented, he said. Considering these circumstances, it is misleading for the Congress government to blame the central government. Daily, one or more ministers make statements such as, 'It will happen soon,' 'It will happen in an instant,' and 'It will happen by Sankranti.' Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is suggesting that good days and positive news are coming for the people of Telangana. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that no decisions have been made regarding the elections, Narsaiah Goud claimed. © 2025 All Rights Reserved. Powered by Summit
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
PMC elections likely after Diwali as state issues final delimitation schedule
With the Maharashtra government issuing a detailed timeline for the delimitation of electoral wards on Thursday, it is now evident that elections to municipal corporations across the state, including Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations will be held only after September 4, before which the final draft for restructured wards to be published. This effectively places the likely poll window in the post-Diwali period, as the festive season falls in October this year. The state urban development department recently finalised and notified the schedule for preparing four-member wards in all municipal corporations. The final ward structure is expected to be published between August 29 and September 4, leaving a short window for the State Election Commission (SEC) to announce poll dates. As per sources in the state government, civic elections are unlikely to be held during Diwali as urban voters tend to travel to their native towns during the festival. 'No party wants polling during Diwali. The likely window is either before or after the festival. But given the delimitation timeline, post-Diwali elections appear more feasible,' said a senior official from PMC. Diwali this year comes on October 21. Following the Supreme Court's recent directives to hold long-delayed local body elections without further delay, the state government has moved to complete the delimitation process swiftly. Another senior Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) official requesting anonymity said, 'The civic machinery will complete the work within the given timeline. Since the four-member ward structure was used during the 2017 civic polls, major changes may not be needed in the old city limits. Only the newly merged villages will see some redrawing of boundaries.' In the previous elections, Pune had a total of 41 four-member panels (totaling 164 corporators). However, the merger of 34 villages in 2021 is expected to slightly alter this composition. The delimitation exercise will involve ground verification, the use of satellite maps, and a round of public consultation. The draft structure will be open for suggestions and objections in late July, before being finalised by early September. Schedule for forming four-member wards Formation of wards: June 11 to June 16 Draft structuring of wards: June 17 to July 10 Population verification: June 17–18 Site visits: June 19–23 Ward maps using Google Maps: June 24–30 On-ground verification of boundaries: July 1–3 Committee to sign draft maps: July 4–7 Submission of draft to SEC: July 8–10 Publication of draft and feedback window: July 22–31 Hearings on objections: August 1–11 Preparation of final structure: August 12–18 Final publication of ward structure: August 29 to September 4
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Nagpur ZP, Panchayat Samiti Elections Get Green Light; Ward Formation Deadline Set
Nagpur: The Maharashtra govt has initiated the long-awaited process to hold general elections for zilla parishads (ZPs) and panchayat samitis (PSs), including Nagpur, whose bodies were dissolved earlier this year on January 17. A detailed order was issued on Thursday, outlining the steps and deadlines to determine new ward boundaries ahead of the polls. In an official communication dated June 12, the state issued orders to determine the number of members and draw fresh ward boundaries for all affected rural local bodies. District collectors have been empowered to carry out this critical groundwork as part of the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti General Election (Number of Members, Ward Composition) Order, 2025. The process includes fixing the number of members for each ZP and PS, which is currently at 57 and 114 respectively, and dividing constituencies based on the rural population of each district as per the latest Census 2011. The state has made it clear that natural boundaries and geographical continuity must be considered during ward formation, and care should be taken not to divide existing gram panchayats or tribal settlements wherever possible. Importantly, the state has also issued a strict confidentiality clause, prohibiting any premature disclosure of the ward structure before the official draft is released. Officers violating this could face disciplinary action. The entire exercise has been put on a fast track, with a fixed five-phase schedule, so that elections can be held within four months. Citizens are encouraged to participate actively during the feedback phase to ensure transparency and representation. The State Election Commission will supervise the final approval and publication of ward maps before poll dates are announced. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
First civic polls for Besa-Pipla, Godhani nagar panchayats after upgrade
Nagpur: The State Election Commission (SEC) has released the official ward formation schedule for all nagar parishads and nagar panchayats in Nagpur district, setting in motion the groundwork for upcoming civic elections. Among the most closely watched local bodies will be Besa-Pipla and Godhani, both newly upgraded in 2022 from gram panchayats to nagar panchayats. These areas are now expected to hold their first-ever nagar panchayat elections after this upgrade, likely by late September or October this year. The detailed schedule lays out key stages of the ward formation process, including population data compilation, draft ward mapping, public objections and suggestions, and final approval — all of which are to be completed by early September. Once this timeline is met, the process of voter list finalisation and poll date announcements will follow swiftly. A senior official from the administration said, "Besa-Pipla nagar panchayat collects one of the highest revenues as a nagar panchayat in the state. It collects approximately Rs3-4 crore per month in revenue, but compared to this huge amount it collects, the basic amenities like sports complexes etc are a work in progress. Approach roads to smaller housing societies have not yet been constructed completely. In general, the new nagar panchayat has a lot of potential considering the amount of revenue it makes. Since becoming a nagar panchayat, the revenue collected goes to the nagar panchayat and can be spent on a concentrated and smaller area, and more development can be done in Besa-Pipla." For Besa-Pipla and Godhani, this election marks a significant shift in local governance. As nagar panchayats, these areas will now elect a full-fledged leadership to oversee panchayat-level infrastructure, development, and services — decisions that were previously handled at the gram panchayat level. Residents will now gain formal representation with elected ward members and a panchayat head, giving them a stronger voice in civic matters. Samir Deshpande, a resident of Godhani, said, "Our biggest concern is basic infrastructure. Roads are in poor condition, there are no public gardens, and power cuts are constant. We need real change, not just promises." The upgrade to nagar panchayat status reflects the rapid urbanisation and population growth in these rural zones of the city. With more structured governance, both areas are poised to benefit from streamlined administration and eligibility for additional state and central development schemes. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Indian Express
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Pune Municipal Corporation likely to have 165 corporators for 42 wards after delimitation
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday issued orders for all the municipal corporations to begin the delimitation process, to be carried out on the basis of the 2011 Census records. As per norms set by the government, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will likely have 165 corporators, up from 163 corporators, for 42 wards. 'The PMC has a total population of 34.81 lakhs in its jurisdiction as per the 2011 Census. Thus, the strength of corporators is likely to be 165 for the elections,' said an officer of the civic body. The PMC had a strength of 163 corporators in the previous five-year term. However, the expansion of civic limits has increased the population by over one lakh. The Supreme Court has directed that civic body elections in the state be held in the next four months. According to the government, 161 corporators should be fixed for a population of 30 lakhs and one corporator each should be added for an additional one-lakh population. A maximum of four corporators are to be elected from each ward. Big roads, lanes, rivers, streams, hills, and flyovers should be set as boundaries of wards. Any one locality or building should not be split into two wards. Open spaces or natural bodies should be part of wards for the continuity of the civic area. The government has not given any timeline for the civic bodies to complete the delimitation process. The PMC official said the state government has set up a committee chaired by the municipal commissioner to prepare a draft report on delimitation. Accordingly, the civic body will prepare a draft report on delimitation, which will be sent to the State Election Commission for approval. The approved draft will be published and public suggestions and objections will be sought on it, after which there will be a public hearing on the suggestions and objections received. After necessary changes, the final draft will be sent to the State Election Commission, which will publish it. Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast. Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste. Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter. Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More
