Pune, PCMC Gear Up for Civic Elections as Four-Member Ward Structure Notified

Reported by Mubarak Ansari

Pune, 10th June 2025: The long-awaited process for conducting local body elections in Maharashtra has officially begun. The State Election Commission has directed the formation of wards across the state’s municipalities, and the Urban Development Department on Tuesday issued formal orders to initiate the ward structuring process. This marks the first significant step toward resuming local self-government elections, which have remained pending for nearly three years.

According to the latest directive, all municipal corporations in Classes A, B, and C will follow a four-member ward system. The responsibility for preparing the draft ward structure and determining the number of members per ward has been entrusted to the respective Municipal Commissioners. The instructions emphasize that the ward formations must be transparent and systematic—on par with Lok Sabha and Assembly election standards.

Pune, Nagpur Among Class A Cities

As per the government’s classification:

• Class A includes Pune and Nagpur
• Class B includes Thane, Nashik, and Pimpri-Chinchwad
• Class C includes Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Kalyan-Dombivli
• Class D covers 19 smaller municipal bodies

The maximum and minimum number of members to be assigned to each ward will remain consistent with the government’s earlier notification issued in September 2022.

Special Provision: Wards with 3 or 5 Members Allowed

While the structure mandates four-member wards, exceptions have been permitted:

• If a uniform four-member composition is not feasible, one ward may have 3 members and another may have 5.
• In some cases, up to two wards with 3 members may be formed.
• However, officials have been instructed to ensure geographical continuity, avoid splitting communities, and maintain citizen convenience.

To determine the population base, the latest official census data will be used. Municipal Corporations have been advised to start the ward structuring from the north, moving clockwise to the south-west, while using natural and man-made boundaries like major roads, rivers, railway lines, and flyovers. All ward boundaries will be plotted using Google Maps for visual clarity.

Ward Formation: Step-by-Step Process

The process for finalizing the ward structure will unfold in the following stages:

1. Draft Formation – Municipal Commissioner will prepare the draft ward structure and submit it to the State Election Commission.
2. Approval of Draft – The Election Commission will review and approve the draft.
3. Public Notification – Municipal Commissioner will publish the approved draft for public review.
4. Objections & Suggestions – Citizens can submit feedback to the designated Authorized Officer.
5. Final Proposal Submission – Authorized Officer will forward the final structure to the Election Commission through the Municipal Commissioner.
6. Final Approval – State Election Commission will approve the final ward plan.
7. Public Declaration – The Municipal Commissioner will announce the final ward structure.

With this announcement, Maharashtra’s stalled municipal election process finally resumes.