THANE: The State Election Commission has okayed 47 multiple panel wards for the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) limits with over 18.4 lakhs eligible voters, civic officials said on Saturday.
Officials said the SEC has approved the TMC plan revising the existing ward numbers from 33 to 47 and directed the civic administration to now start publicizing the revamped ward limits and seek public opinion on the same. While 46 wards will have three members, ward number 44 will have four corporators.
The total number of representatives will increase to 142 from the existing 131 elected corporators of which 10 seats will be reserved for candidates from the Scheduled Caste and three from the Scheduled Tribes categories. As many as 64 seats from the general category and five from the SC and two from ST have been reserved for women.
As per the plans, the revised ward limit maps will soon be published by the administration by February 1 and will invite objections and suggestions from the public till February 14 following which a designated officer will hear them on February 26 and submit a report to the SEC on March 2.
The SEC informed the Thane administration that the caste-based reservation will be announced after the state backward commission submits its observation to the state election commission following Supreme Court orders.
Meanwhile, with the elections likely to be scheduled in April-May, political parties from Thane have tightened their belts to wrest control on the corporation that is considered prestigious after Mumbai. The ongoing tussle between the MVA allies in Thane as become a topic for discussions in the power corridors as growing ambitions among the cadre is likely to exert pressure on leaders to give them an opportunity to contest for the seats.
The tenure of the existing board will end in March following which the commissioner will be in-charge of the proceedings of the corporation till the next board is formed.
Officials said the SEC has approved the TMC plan revising the existing ward numbers from 33 to 47 and directed the civic administration to now start publicizing the revamped ward limits and seek public opinion on the same. While 46 wards will have three members, ward number 44 will have four corporators.
The total number of representatives will increase to 142 from the existing 131 elected corporators of which 10 seats will be reserved for candidates from the Scheduled Caste and three from the Scheduled Tribes categories. As many as 64 seats from the general category and five from the SC and two from ST have been reserved for women.
As per the plans, the revised ward limit maps will soon be published by the administration by February 1 and will invite objections and suggestions from the public till February 14 following which a designated officer will hear them on February 26 and submit a report to the SEC on March 2.
The SEC informed the Thane administration that the caste-based reservation will be announced after the state backward commission submits its observation to the state election commission following Supreme Court orders.
Meanwhile, with the elections likely to be scheduled in April-May, political parties from Thane have tightened their belts to wrest control on the corporation that is considered prestigious after Mumbai. The ongoing tussle between the MVA allies in Thane as become a topic for discussions in the power corridors as growing ambitions among the cadre is likely to exert pressure on leaders to give them an opportunity to contest for the seats.
The tenure of the existing board will end in March following which the commissioner will be in-charge of the proceedings of the corporation till the next board is formed.
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