by Rajiv Kakria (9810275168)
Delhi is a City-State, unlike other States where the ‘Cities’ have Municipalities and ‘Villages’ have Gram Panchayats that are governed under separate laws and provided services & funds accordingly. Ironically save for Lutyens Zone & Cantonment Area, the rest of Delhi is under MCD. Please note that MCD has no Jurisdiction in unauthorised colonies & slums and its Writ does not run in urban villages.
The flaw lies in population based delineation of constituencies that have planned colonies adjacent to unauthorised colonies where MCD has no jurisdiction or application of bye-laws. Constitution of India too recognises the unfairness of just population based electorate, as in presidential election……. Extract……”The number and value of votes are based on the population in 1971 rather than the current population, as a result of the 42nd Amendment, and extended by the 84th Amendment, with the intention to encourage family planning programs in the states by ensuring that states are not penalised for lowering their population growth and development.”
SEC has been mandated with reorganising MCD into 250 Wards of 45,000 to 60,000 Voters each. This puts Plotted Colonies and DDA/Society Flats with a much larger Geographical Spread at a huge disadvantage vis Unauthorised Colonies and Urban Villages that have higher Population Density. Due to non-existent bye-laws that govern number of dwelling units per plot, height of building, setbacks, number of floors or rooms etc. in such areas.
A balanced equated formula needs to be worked out taking into consideration the geographical spread and density so that there is equitable distribution of resources. Ideally separate entities like, village / slum / unauthorised colony development boards should be formed to provide services in such areas as in other states of India.
Moreover Delimitation should have been done after EC had completed the exercise of linking adhaar with voter card to weed out bogus / dual voters. It is also discriminatory towards law abiding citizens who are already disillusioned with vote bank politics, thus disenfranchising voters of planned developed colonies.
