Multi-Member Ward System

Multi-Member Ward System

Subject – Polity

Context – The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra took a decision to reintroduce the multi-member ward system for all municipal councils and corporations barring the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), instead of the existing single-member ward system

Concept –

• There will be a three-member ward system in municipal corporations and a two-member ward system in municipal councils.
• In other words, municipal seats will be demarcated together to create a three- and two-member ward system in corporations and councils respectively.
• There will be no change in the number of wards or corporators; the wards will be bunched together only for the purpose of the election.
• Those contesting from the same party or alliance across the designated multi-member ward will campaign across the two or three wards, although they will file their nomination from individual wards.
• If elected, each will represent the individual ward only.
• Voters, however, will be able to select candidates in their own ward as well as in the other wards clubbed together in the multi-member ward.
• Although candidates from the same party/alliance in a multi-member ward will be called a “panel”, a voter does not really select a panel, but individual candidates, who can be from the same party or from different parties.
• A voter is also entitled to select just one candidate. But for this, the voter has to make a written submission to the presiding officer of the booth.
  • This is to ensure documentary proof in case a party or candidate goes to court questioning how a candidate got fewer votes than others.

When has the system been tried before?

• A three-member ward system in municipal corporations was introduced in 2001 by then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. It was scrapped in 2006.
• In 2011, Chief Minister PrithvirajChavan introduced a two-member ward system for municipal corporations and a four-member system for councils.
• In 2016, Chief Minister M DevendraFadnavis changed it to a four-member system for corporations and a three-member system for councils.
• In December 2019, the MVA government decided to scrap it and revert to the single-member ward system.

What is the rationale?

• The reason for the non-partisan support to this scheme is that it appears to help a party or alliance maximise its seats.
• A party can offset weak candidates with strong ones in a multi-member ward.
• The hope is that the strongest of the candidates will carry the day for the others in the “panel”, even though this is not guaranteed.
• The state Urban Development Department notifies rules for the manner of allotment and rotation of reservation of seats of corporators in wards.
• Subsequently, the State Election Commission undertakes an exercise for the allotment for seats for the reserved category and rotating them.