"Shortage of EVMs and manpower for their protection could be challenges before the SEC, and could be held as strong reasons for phase-wise results"OFFICIAL, State Election Commission

SEC plans to hold polls in 2-3 phases owing to concerns over delimitation and availability of EVMs

- Surendra P Gangan

MUMBAI: The state election commission (SEC) has begun preparations for the polls to over 687 local bodies, expected to be held from October onwards. The polls are likely to be held in two to three phases and may have separate counting of votes for each phase.

Preceding the polls will be the delimitation of wards. According to the state government programme, the municipal corporations, including the BMC, are expected to complete the exercise by September 4, while D-class municipal corporations, municipal councils and nagar panchayats have to do this by September 1. The SEC will then hold hearings of all stakeholders.

Once the ward boundaries are finalised by the SEC, the booth-wise number of voters is ascertained, followed by the reservation of the wards. "As the district level machinery has started the process of ward formation at the local level, we have been working on the booth-wise finalisation of voters on the basis of the recent assembly election electoral rolls," said an SEC official.

"The addition of voters, which will go on till the elections are announced, will result in an increase in the number of booths in the polling stations."