Ludhiana MC polls: With no delimitation map, parties unsure of ward changes
Several political parties have criticised the Aam Aadmi Party’s decision to request the election commission to hold elections in the first half of November, terming the move as premature, especially since the ward delimitation map has not been publicly disclosed, making it challenging to initiate campaign efforts in the wards
With the civic body yet to release the final ward delimitation map for the upcoming municipal corporation elections, the uncertainty surrounding ward boundaries is making it difficult for political parties to initiate poll campaign and form strategies.
Several political parties have criticised the Aam Aadmi Party’s decision to request the election commission to hold elections in the first half of November, terming the move as premature, especially since the ward delimitation map has not been publicly disclosed, making it challenging to initiate campaign efforts in the wards.
According to an official from the local bodies department, they have submitted the final ward delimitation report to the poll panel.
In a notification issued by the Punjab government, elections to elect the municipal corporation in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Phagwara will be held within the first fortnight of November.
Sanjay Talwar, district president of the Congress party, said, “This is a major failure on the part of the Punjab government, as they are requesting MC elections to be conducted before announcing the final ward delimitation map. As of now, we are uncertain about the changes made, such as the classification of wards as male or female, and even the boundaries are unclear for campaign to start.”
Bhupinder Bhinda, district president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), said, “The AAP government tends to make hasty decisions due to their lack of experience. The poll days will be during the festive season, and people will celebrate the festival. No boundaries have been set by the MC office. The Akali Dal has appealed for an extension. We are planning to submit a memorandum to the election commission through the deputy commissioner, emphasising that these are busy days and they should first declare the final map of ward delimitation.”
Inder Aggarwal, senior leader from the BJP said, “There is a lack of coordination between the departments, highlighting the poor governance of the AAP party. Aspiring candidates are still not sure about their wards and boundaries. I urge the state government to make wise decisions and request the poll panel to instruct the government to release the ward delimitation map before announcing the election dates.”
