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.
