By ARUN PRATAP SINGH
DEHRADUN, 14 Dec: Preparations for Municipal elections have intensified with the release of provisional notification by the Urban Development Department on Saturday, for the position of Mayors and Municipal chairpersons in Municipal Councils with respect to the reservations. As was expected in view of the political significance of the post of Mayor in Dehradun, which is the state capital, the Mayor’s post in Doon has remained unreserved for the fourth straight time. After Dehradun’s upgradation to the level of Municipal Corporation following the formation of Uttarakhand into a separate state, when the civic polls were held for the first time in 2003, the Mayor’s post had been reserved for general category women. Since then the elections are to be held for the fourth time and the post has remained unreserved. At the same time, the Haridwar Mayor’s post has been reserved for the OBC women.
All the District Magistrates will issue the provisional notification of reservation of corporators in the municipal corporations and ward members in Nagar Palika and Nagar Panchayats tomorrow. After receiving objections, if any, the Urban Development Directorate will soon issue the final notification of reservation of Mayors and Chairpersons. Additional Director Urban Development Lalit Narayan Mishra had sent a letter to all the District Magistrates on Friday in this regard.
The list of provisional reservations in Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, and Nagar Panchayats has been released in Uttarakhand. This time, significant changes have been made in the reserved seats. Dehradun Municipal Corporation has been kept unreserved. In addition, Kotdwar, Rudrapur and Srinagar also remain unreserved. Haridwar Municipal Corporation has been reserved for Other Backward Caste (OBC) women. Other reservations include: Municipal Corporation, Roorkee for Women; Municipal Corporation, Kashipur remains Unreserved; Municipal Corporation, Haldwani has been reserved for OBC category while Municipal Corporation, Pithoragarh has been reserved for Women and Municipal Corporation, Almora has also been reserved for women.
The post of chairpersons in Municipal Councils Doiwala and Muni ki Reti have been declared unreserved. Rudraprayag Municipal Council and Municipal Council Agastyamuni have also been declared unreserved (general) Municipal Council Guptakashi has been reserved for SC women, Tilwara for OBC women, and Ukhimath for women. Mussoorie Municipal Council chairperson seat has been reserved for OBC women for the first time. Municipal Council Tapovan has been reserved for OBC women, and Municipal Council Swarg Ashram for women. Khatima Municipal Council has been declared a general seat, and Sitarganj Municipal Council has been declared an OBC seat. Rudrapur and Kashipur Municipal Corporation seats have been declared general. Municipal Council Vikasnagar reserved for ST; Municipal Council Herbertpur reserved for OBC; Municipal Council Manglaur reserved for OBC; Municipal Council Laksar reserved for OBC; Municipal Council Shivaliknagar remains unreserved; Municipal Council Uttarkashi reserved for Women; and Municipal Council Barkot reserved for OBC.
Given the speed at which preparations for civic elections are making progress, it is estimated that the State Election Commission may implement the code of conduct in the last week of December. The civic body elections are expected to be held between the second and third week of January. A total of 15 seats have been reserved for women in the Municipal Council. Sixteen seats in the Nagar Panchayats are reserved for women. The final notification is expected shortly.
