02 October,2016 11:29 AM IST | | Laxman Singh
Each ward will now have equal population; sitting corporators to benefit as more seats in open category
This civic election may prove to be a boon for sitting corporators who feared losing their seats to reservation. Unlike the civic elections of 2012, in 2017, the scenario is poised to change as ward boundaries will be revised as per population.
The population-based delimitation of the boundaries of 227 electoral wards is likely to provide relief for sitting corporators who had contested on an open seat. Seven wards from the island city will be deleted, while five wards will be added in the Western suburbs and two in the Eastern suburbs. A senior official said, "This is the first time we are doing delimitation of wards keeping in mind equal population in each ward. The total number of wards will remain 227."
In the 2012 civic elections, about 90 per cent of sitting corporators couldn't contest because of reservation. The fate of several corporators will be decided on Monday at Bandra where the lottery for SC, ST, OBC and women's reservation will take place. Officials said senior corporators forced to sit at home after their ward was reserved in 2012, may get an opportunity to make a comeback.
91
Lakh registered voters are present in Mumbai
