Kolkata, Oct 26 A petition challenging the proposed delimitation of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) wards, which would increase their number from 144 to 209, was filed before the Calcutta High Court on Monday.
Seeking permission from a vacation bench to file the petition, the petitioner’s lawyer, Shamim Ahmed, argued that the delimitation exercise was not being conducted in accordance with due legal process.
Vacation Judge Justice Aryak Dutt granted permission to file the petition.
Ahmed said the matter was likely to come up for hearing before the vacation bench of Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya on Wednesday.
The petitioner, a Kolkata resident, alleged that the proposed increase of 65 wards was being carried out in an unscientific manner and without following the prescribed procedure.
The West Bengal government has initiated the delimitation exercise ahead of the KMC elections, expected to be held in November.
A notice issued by the state government’s Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department in August said the final list of the new wards would be published after the relevant provision of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, was amended.
The government plans to complete the exercise, the first delimitation of KMC wards since 1984, before the civic polls, which are likely to be held by the end of November.
A new board is expected to take charge before the current administrator-run arrangement ends on December 7.
(PTI News)
