Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
After a long wait of five years, the State Election Commission (SEC) finally released the prabhag (ward cluster) delimitation plan for the municipal corporation elections on August 22. The announcement brought celebration among aspiring candidates. However, as the details are being studied, serious errors in the map are now coming to light.
According to the plan, in some cases, housing colonies have been shown in a different prabhag than the one they actually fall under, creating confusion for both candidates and voters. Citizens are now raising the question: In which prabhag should they actually cast their votes?
This will be the first-ever election in the city under the prabhag system. Hence, voters and candidates are still comparing the new prabhag boundaries with the old ward limits. Some prabhags have been formed by merging as many as 15 wards together. For example, a single prabhag stretches from Ganesh Colony–Rashidpura to Padegaon Slaughterhouse.
The city has effectively been divided into two regions. A total of 17 prabhags were formed before Jalna Road, while 12 prabhags were formed beyond Jalna Road extending up to Satara. In total, 29 prabhags have been created in the city. Citizens, political parties, and aspiring candidates are now studying the draft carefully. Suggestions and objections can be submitted until September 4.
Reported errors in the prabhag plan
According to sources, the prabhag map and the boundary list do not match. The delimitation has not been executed consistently. Pilotbaba Nagari, near Chikalthana Airport, is shown in Prabhag No. 23 on the map, but in reality, it belongs to Prabhag No. 24.
Mehernagar is mapped under Prabhag No. 27, though it actually falls in Prabhag No. 22.
Shambhunagar, Divisional Sports Complex, and Mayurban Colony are marked under Prabhag No. 20 on the map, while they are in fact part of Prabhag No. 19.