Punjab BJP seeks Guv intervention in 'arbitrary, illegal' ward delimitation exercise

Chandigarh, Jan 2 (PTI) A Punjab BJP delegation on Friday met Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, seeking his intervention against, what it called, the "arbitrary, hasty, and illegal" ward delimitation being carried out by the AAP government for municipal corporations and municipal councils across the state.

In a memorandum, the delegation led by Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma apprised the Governor that the ongoing ward delimitation exercise is being conducted in "undue haste, without transparency, and in blatant violation of statutory rules and constitutional principles." The memorandum highlighted that no proper door-to-door population survey has been conducted and that the proposed wards show an "unnatural and unexplained" decline in population figures across urban local bodies, raising serious doubts about the authenticity of the data used.

The delegation further pointed out gross violations of the principles of continuity and contiguity, with geographically disconnected areas being arbitrarily clubbed together.

Concerns were also raised regarding the "misuse" of reservation norms, wherein wards with lower Scheduled Caste and Backward Class populations have been reserved, while areas with higher SC/BC concentration have been declared general wards, the delegation claimed.

The BJP delegation drew attention to the Census notifications issued in connection with the 16th Census of India, which clearly mandate the freezing of municipal and ward boundaries during census operations.

The delimitation refers to the process of fixing limits or territorial boundaries — in this case, wards.

Despite this, the Punjab government is proceeding with delimitation in clear violation of these directions, it alleged.

The delegation requested the Governor to summon the complete record from the Department of Local Government and direct the state government to adhere to census notifications, statutory provisions and constitutional norms.

Members of the delegation included former cabinet minister Manoranjan Kalia, former MP and former state president Shwait Malik, former Union Minister Som Prakash and state vice president Subhash Sharma. PTI CHS AMJ AMJ