The civic polls in the Vasai-Virar region likely to be held in May-June will see an increase in the number of corporators.

The Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) on Monday finalised the ward delimitation process. The number of wards have gone up from 89 in 2010 to 115 in 2015. The civic polls (second election since the VVMC was formed in July 2009) are likely to be held in end May or June first week.

Following the ward demarcation, over 50 per cent of the sitting corporators have lost their areas to new wards or reservations. Of the 115 wards, 58 has been reserved for women, in keeping with the 50 per cent reservation.

The ward demarcation was done based on the 2011 census, which puts the population of the Vasai-Virar region at over 12.34 lakhs. Each ward will have a population of over 10,000. The ward demarcation done before the first civic polls in 2010 was based on the 2001 census.

Virar and Nalasopara, have got new wards in keeping with the increase in the population in these areas. A number of sitting corporators who have traditionally fought elections from ‘safe’ seats have lost their wards to newer wards.

The announcement of the ward boundaries was met with tense moments by corporators who lost their wards. Senior corporators like Shishir Chavan of the Shiv Sena and Sagir Dange of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) took a hit following the ward demarcation. VVMC mayor Narayan Mankar and deputy mayor Rupesh Jadhav, both from BVA, were not affected by the ward demarcation. Veteran corporators who lost their wards to women reservation are likely to field their wives in the forthcoming polls.

Source: Times of India