Aafreen Hussain in Kolkata
The West Bengal Legislative Assembly has passed two significant Bills paving the way for the delimitation of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), a move that will substantially increase the number of municipal wards across the state ahead of the next civic elections. The legislation aims to redraw ward boundaries based on population growth, urban expansion and administrative requirements.
Under the new framework, the number of wards in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will increase from 144 to 209, while the number of wards in other municipal corporations will also be revised. Municipalities currently having 50 wards will see the number rise to 68, with similar increases proposed for several urban local bodies across West Bengal. The state government says the exercise is intended to ensure better civic administration and more balanced representation for residents.
Introducing the Bills in the Assembly, Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul said the existing ward structure no longer reflects the state’s rapidly changing urban demographics. She stated that the delimitation process would be carried out scientifically, taking into account population, geographical boundaries, urban development and administrative convenience. Draft proposals will be published, after which citizens and stakeholders will be invited to submit objections and suggestions before the final notification is issued.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari defended the legislation, saying that many civic wards have become disproportionately large because of rapid urbanisation over the past decade. According to him, creating additional wards will improve governance by enabling councillors to serve smaller populations more effectively, leading to better delivery of civic services such as drinking water, sanitation, roads and drainage.
The Bills, however, drew sharp criticism from the Opposition. Leader of the Opposition Javed Khan alleged that the government was attempting to reshape ward boundaries for political advantage before the municipal elections. Former Urban Development Minister and former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim also questioned the timing of the exercise, arguing that any delimitation should be carried out only after broad consultation with all political parties and affected residents.
The CPI(M) maintained that while periodic delimitation is necessary because of demographic changes, the process must remain transparent, impartial and free from political influence. The Congress demanded that the government place all proposed ward maps in the public domain and conduct extensive public hearings before finalising the boundaries. The BJP, on the other hand, supported the legislation, stating that long-standing population imbalances had made a fresh delimitation both constitutionally and administratively necessary.
Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the move, alleging that the exercise was politically motivated and intended to benefit the ruling party. She urged the government to ensure complete transparency and build political consensus before implementing the new ward structure.
The last major delimitation of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation was carried out during 2011–12, under the Trinamool Congress government, and formed the basis for the 2015 municipal elections. The current government argues that more than a decade of urban expansion has made another delimitation unavoidable.
Once the draft notification is published, residents will be able to verify their proposed ward through official municipal ward maps, electoral rolls and notifications issued by their respective municipal corporation or municipality. Objections and claims can be filed during the prescribed period before the final ward boundaries are notified for the upcoming civic polls.