Nagpur: With the process for general elections for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) gathering momentum, the aspirants are now bracing for the draw of lots for reservation for women. It is slated for May 31. The draw will be for reservation of SC (women), ST (women) and women from general category. The reservation would have bearing on fortunes of many as any change could virtually seal their fate for next five years, since 78 seats would get reserved for women representatives.
NMC administration will conduct the draw of lots at Suresh Bhat Auditorium, Reshimbag, from 10 am onwards. The venue is likely to be thronged by political workers in large numbers as everybody is keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that their seat does not figure in the reserved category. As per the revised numbers, the new general body of NMC will now have 156 members and 50 percent of seats that are going to be reserved for women. Thus, 78 seats in 52 Prabhags shall be represented by women from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, General categories.
Since reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) is still in limbo, the draw of lots shall be conducted only for SC, ST and General categories. As per the norms, about 15 percent of seats from women’s quota will further be reserved for women from SC community and 7.5 per cent for women from ST community, leaving nearly 70 seats for General category. After holding the draw of lots, the reservation for women will be notified for general information on June 1. The same is going to be published at NMC’s Head office, zonal office, and in local newspapers. Thereafter, NMC is going to provide time till June 6 for filing of objections to notification of reservations for women in the Prabhags.
The administration will then conduct a hearing and decide the objections and the final draft of women reservation would be notified on June 13. In the previous house, about 73 seats had women representation and the total strength of corporators that time was 150. This time, the NMC will have a three-member ward system. In the House of 156 Corporators, women will account for 78 elected members (SC 16, ST 6 and Open 56). So, the draw of lots will be held for these seats, reports said.
Already, Prabhag boundaries have been finalised for the 13 municipal corporations in the State including Nagpur, Amravati, and Akola in Vidarbha region.
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