The Hindu 26.02.2013
Ward delimitation to be held once in 20 years
The State government is understood to have mooted a proposal to restrict the delimitation of local body divisions to once in 20 years against the current practice of carving out new wards and civic bodies before every general election.
As per the provisions of the Kerala Panchayati Raj Act and the Kerala Municipalities Act, delimitation of divisions is warranted only after the publication of a census report, but it had turned out to be a routine affair before every civic election since 1993.
The latest census report is expected to be published in April and if the government decides to go in for delimitation this year, the next delimitation need be held only after 20 years.
Official sources told The Hindu here that the proposal had been mooted mainly to ensure a logical continuance of the development activities taken up by the civic bodies at the grassroots level. Frequent fragmentation of wards and merger of civic bodies would derail the development initiatives.
The same was applicable in the case of rotating the wards reserved for various sections such as the Scheduled Castes, Tribes and women. The frequency of the rotation of wards too had to be made consistent, if the proposal was to become truly meaningful.
The proposal will help the government save the expenses incurred for revising the electoral rolls. The Central Election Commission rolls are prepared on the basis of polling booths and the State Election Commission prepares the rolls for civic elections on the basis of wards.
Once the limits of wards are determined for 20 years, it will be easy for the State Election Commission to adopt the CEC rolls and make it more consistent.
It has also been proposed to complete the delimitation procedures a year ahead of the general elections so that the Delimitation Commission can complete the procedures in a fool-proof manner.
The powers for fixing the number of voters in each ward vests with the government. As the government does not attach due importance to strength fixation, the policy decision in this score is often delayed and the Delimitation Commission will have to rush through the procedures.
The Delimitation Commission will be able to start its functions only on getting a clear direction on the proposed strength in each civic body. The latest decision to complete the process a year ahead of the elections is expected to put the process in the right course.
