State’s ‘about turn’: MVA for Prabhag system in NMC elections

 

 

 

In a sudden change of strategy, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government has decided to continue with the existing Prabhag system for the next elections of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) that are due early next year. Abandoning the earlier plan for single member ward system that was notified by State Election Commission (SEC), a cabinet meeting of MVA held on Wednesday recaliberated State Government's stance on the choice of ward system. As per the communiqué from State Government, multi member Prabhag system would be continued as it is at Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils but excluding Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The notification mentioned that current four member Prabhag could be continued as it is and in case same is not possible then a Prabhag cannot have less than three and, additionally stated, not more than five members could be elected.

 

Now, the suspense is whether Maharashtra Government would bite the bullet and opt for three member Prabhag or go for status quo and continue with four member Prabhag remains the big question. Only as the elections draw near a clear picture would emerge as State leaders are not keen to reveal their cards so early. The cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday approved the proposal mooted by Urban Development Department (UDD) for continuity of Prabhag at Nagpur along with other Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils. Shiv Sena is ruling the roost at BMC for more than a decade and it seems the ruling party has decided to play safe and continue with single member ward system in their backyard. Currently, at NMC, there is four-member ward system and same was introduced five years back during the regime of alliance Government comprising Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. Only in one place there is a three-member Prabhag. As per State Government, an ordinance would be issued for notifying the amendment in the relevant section 5 (3) of Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Rules and stated about the number of corporators in a Prabhag. In nutshell, the current system of 4-member Prabhag system is likely to be continued at NMC. The ordinance would require sanction from Governor. In Municipal Councils also, the current system of two-member Prabhag system is set to be continued, said the release of State Government.

 

The four-member Prabhag system was introduced by then Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Shiv Sena Government for the NMC prior to 2007 when the general elections were held. Prior to that also there was Prabhag system but same was limited to two members and from that four members system came into place. Just last month, State Election Commission (SEC) had notified the pre-poll programme and announced reverting to single member ward in all Corporation and Parishads. Similarly, NMC was directed to carry out ward demarcation based on 2011 Census and the exercise would have taken about a month. After notifying the ward boundaries, SEC would have taken up the reservations for SC/ST, OBC and Women. Now that it is almost certain that current Prabhag system is going to remain intact, the contest for the NMC would again take an interesting turn. The notifying of single ward system had enthused the Opposition who had relied heavily on current discontent among voters against the ruling dispensation. However in case 4-member Prabhag system is continued as it is then perhaps ruling party would have an upper hand as it would rely heavily on its organisational strength. But in politics nothing is certain and ultimately its going to litmus test for the party workers to fit in with the leadership decision and test their luck at the hustings, be it three or four member Prabhag. 

 

Changing ward system with change in political equation Maharashtra State has seen tinkering with ward system from single to multi-member Prabhag from time to time in Local Self Government bodies depending upon political consideration of the dispensation ruling from Mumbai. Perhaps to suit their interest of that time, the then dispensation in State chose to redraw the election procedures for Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats etc. The process started with changing from single member ward system to two members, it was done through amendment in rules to MMC Act in year 2015, and referred to as Prabhag. Thereafter the Prabhag system was further strengthened by increasing it to four members by clubbing four individual wards. Now, again in 2019, then State Government further carried out amendment to revert to single member ward for the forthcoming elections to Municipal Corporations and Nagar Panchayats. But even before the exercise could take off, State Government had a change of heart and decided to continue with Prabhag system, between three and five in Corporations, and two members in Nagar Parishads. Similarly, the election process of choosing the Presidents of Municipal Councils and Nagar Parishad was altered from among the elected councillors to from the electorate. With change in party, the procedure underwent change and again reverted to one among the councillors.