Stage set for civic polls in Panchkula

In a statement issued by the administration Sunday, the city has been divided into 20 wards of an average population of 16,000 persons per ward. The wards have been divided among a total population of 317476 persons. Of these, ward 2 consisting of MDC sector 4, 5, MDC apartments, Swastik Vihar and sector 6 of the city has the lowest population of about 13,216 persons and ward 4, with sectors including sector 8,9 and 10 has the highest population of 18952 persons.

· Ward 1 as per draft will include Mahadev Colony, Saketari, MDC Sector 2, MDC Sector 6 and Bhainsa Tibba has been created by including a population of 15390.

· Ward 2 includes MDC Sector 4, 5, MDC Apartment, Swastik Vihar and Sector 6 have been made of the population of Panchkula.

· Sectors 7, 16, 17 &18 will form the Ward 3.

· Ward 4 includes sectors 8, 9 and 10 with the maximum population

· Ward 5 will only comprise of sector 15 which is the most populated sector of the city with a total population of 15302 persons.

· Ward 6 would be part B of Rajiv Colony with a population of 16712 persons.

· Ward 7 has been formed including Budhanpur, Indira Colony and remaining parts of Rajiv Colony

· Ward 8 includes Abheypur and parts of Sector 19 from booth 200 to 205, with 15422 population. Ward containing sector 19 had earlier remained the highest populated ward of Panchkula with a population of more than 35000 persons.

· Ward 9 will consist of housing board colony, Booth 199 of Sector 19, Industrial Area Phase 1 & 2, Bell Colony Sector 14, Apartment and Sector 14 Government quarters and the Housing Board Complex.

· Ward 10 with 17280 population will include Sector 12, Rally village and Sector 12A of the city.

· Ward 11 includes sector 11, parts of sector 4, and population of village Haripur.

· Ward 12 will include Kharak Mangoli, Sector 5, Sector 2, Sector 1 and Village Majri.

· Ward 13 has been made with inclusion of Maheshpur and Sector 21 with a population of 16505.

· Ward 14 includes Sector 20 and Fatehpur village.

· Ward 15 has been formed taking Kundi, Sector 20, Part 2 of Sector 20 and Ashiyana flats with a population of 13895.

· Ward 16 with a population of 14510 includes of Chandimandir, Bheed Ghaggar and Nada Sahib.

· Ward 17 includes the booths of Sector 4, Sector 3 and Sector 23, 24 and 25 having a population of 17800.

· Ward 18, has Sectors 26, 27, 28 along with Madanpur.

· Ward 19 has been created by incorporating 13806 population of Moginand, Police line, Kishangarh, Tribune Colony, Friends Colony, Ramgarh, Billa, Jaswantgarh, Mankaya, and Bhanu.

· Ward 20 will have remaining villages of Dabkouri, Toka, Sukhdarshanpur, Kot, Khangsera, Bher, Alipur, Mattevali, Nagal, Khatauli and Jalauli with population of 15608.

Controversy over the division

Residents of sector 2 and 4 have been left feeling neglected after the decision for their ward allocation was announced. While sector 4 has been divided in two different wards leaving some of its parts with sector 11 and the rest with trans ghaggar sectors, sector 2 has been included with Kharak Mangoli.

The issue in division of sector 4 lies in the fact that while their poll stands divided, it would be extremely difficult to get any developmental work done there. In both the divisions, the population of sector 4 stands lower than its counterparts which may inadvertently lead to the election of a councillor from a different sector. The issue lies in the fact, that if a councillor is elected from trans ghaggar sector, the problems of the residents are set to increase as persons will have to travel farther for small works and the sector may remain neglected. In another case scenario, even if a councillor does win from sector 4, he/she may not be able to get developmental works conducted as the sector will stand divided into two parts.

Similarly, one of the most posh sectors, sector 2 has been included with sector 1, sector 5 and village Majri & Kaharak mangoli. While the total population of all sectors combined stands just a little more than 6000, Kharak mangoli itself has more than 9000 voters along with 1344 registered voters from village Majri. The sector, already falling in a crucial area in need of developmental works will again stand neglected.

The solution for both sectors, may lay in the creation of a ward including sector 2, 4, 1, 5 and village Haripur. Even though the population of the ward may touch the higher note, the management of the area will definitely become easier and smoother.

Sector 6, which has been included with MDC sectors may also raise objections owing to the geographic mismatch in the division. The sector, the most posh of the city, houses several retired and working bureaucrats and lawyers but has the least number of voters amounting to less than 3500 persons. A viable solution might be the addition of the said sector to ward 3 of the city.

MC politics gains momentum

While the past two years have remained barren on the political shift of corporation, the notice and division of wards has acted as a spark to provide momentum to candidates viewing a post for themselves in the coming election.

Ranjeeta Mehta of Congress issued a press statement against the formation of some wards. Pointing out a geographical fault, she said that the attachment of sector 19 with sector 14 and sector 11 with 4 shows how the current presiding government is doing what it wants without considering the repercussions of the act. The statement further said, “But BJP must understand, that this will nt win them the election.”

Ravinder Rawal, resident of sector 15 and an active member of Congress, mayor in 2008 who had unsuccessfully stood for elections from his ward in the last MC elections of 2013 has said, that he will lay claim to the post of Mayor from Congress this year and seek blessing from the party, adding that he would abide by whatever the party decides. He has also stated that “The congress will not only win the mayoral post but also the maximum seats from the city.”

Meanwhile the current MLA from the city, BJP’s Gian Chand Gupta, launched a village campaign on Monday claiming all villages will get community centres. He announced developmental works worth 42 lakhs for village Bhanu, 52 lakhs for villages Billa and Bataur and Rs 11.5 lakhs for a communication centre in village Alipur. Interestingly, all the villages fall under the newly bifurcated Panchkula Municipal Corporation area. Vishal Seth remains the most anticipated Mayor contender from BJP.

Even though no word has come from INLD, Seema Chaudhary is expected to be their Mayoral contender this election. She had remained the Mayor during 2003 elections and a member of council for 2008 elections.

As the troughs of the MC elections change in the city, the terrains of rural-urban divide now forge into a semi-urban and urban divide. Areas have now been reduced in all wards and the city is set to see a different type of election this time, with several seats going solely to old villages of Panchkula. While people may vote for a Mayor with a good presence, the vote of the wards only go to those who work. It will be up to the two prevalent parties to bag the independents and make their camp stronger.

How soon can the city have a council?

With the administration issuing notification for proposal for approval of wards, the process for the same is set to get completed by the end of August. Any objections raised for the wards will be heard and disposed off at earliest and a final publication will be issued for the announcement of wards.

The state election commission will then appoint the Deputy Commissioner of the city to prepare a ward-wise voter list which can again be objected to and additions may be made to the same. The whole process takes about a month for the final list to be issued.

If all goes well, the election commission can then declare elections and the process for filing of nominations may begin. We may at the earliest have a council and mayor by the year end and at the most by the end of the first quarter of 2021.

Satinder Singh Tony, who has objected to the bifurcation and was the one to file the court case against the bifurcation of the corporation from Kalka and Pinjore which led to a void of MC council for more than two years has once again decided to stand his ground.

“I am preparing a notice to be issued to the government against the bifurcation,” he said talking to The Indian Express.

Ravindar Raval, former Mayor and a lawyer by profession rebutting it said, “He has no locust standi in the matter. He cannot object now. His area has been excluded and even if he objects, I am sure he not be entertained.”