Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
In line with the Supreme Court’s directive to conduct local self-government elections, the State Election Commission has sent a formal letter to the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation. The letter, received Thursday, requests comprehensive information on EVM availability, ballot count, strong room arrangements, and suggestions to enhance the use of IT in upcoming municipal polls.
Administrator G. Shreekant confirmed that the process of compiling the required data is underway. A review meeting is scheduled for Friday to finalize and forward the details to the commission. Elections have been pending since April 2020. With the Supreme Court mandating election notification issuance within a month and polling within four months, all eyes are now on the Commission’s next move. According to Shreekant, the corporation currently holds no EVMs 669 machines were transferred to the District Collector in 2020. Only 39 ballots remain in stock. The Election Commission has also suggested that the number of polling booths should exceed the previous Assembly count by 10%. Coordination with the District Collector will determine the next steps.
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Ward structure yet to be finalized
No final decision has been taken on whether the election will follow a 3-ward or 4-ward system. The administrator urged the public to disregard speculation, adding that the process will strictly adhere to the Commission’s guidelines. Staff and officers experienced in past elections will also be engaged.