Guv approves ordinance to increase wards under HP civic bodies

Governor Acharya Devvrat has given his assent to the amendment to the Himachal Pradesh Municipal Act allowing increase the number wards to 37 in the state's two civic bodies.
"An ordinance has been promulgated to this effect by Governor Acharya Devvrat and the Deputy Commissioners of Shimla and Kangra districts have written to the State Election Commission to initiatethe process of demarcation of wards as per the provisions of the amendment brought through ordinance route," an officialspokesman said.
"The Governor promulgated the ordinance yesterday," Additional Chief Secretary Manisha Nanda said.
"The ordinance will allow the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC)and the Dharamsala Municipal Corporation (DMC) to increase the number of wards up to 37," she said, adding the average population of the wards will be 3000.

With municipal elections likely to be held in April 2017, the creation of new wards will begin immediately for the SMC which now has 25 wards. Population under SMC has increase significantly from 1,42,553 in the 2001 Census to 1,69,578 in the 2011 census, she added.
"There is no such urgency in Dharamsala as elections for 17 wards of the DMC were held in January and next is scheduled in January 2021," Nanda said.
The DCs have informed the State Election Commission to initiate the process of demarcation of wards as per the amended provisions.
The increase in population in the SMC area came after some areas were merged into its existing wards, she added.