Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai has expressed support for the state government’s decision to retain existing municipal ward boundaries ahead of the forthcoming municipal elections, citing the ongoing census process as the basis for freezing administrative limits.
In a communication addressed to the Directorate of Municipal Administration, Sardesai said the decision not to undertake ward delimitation aligns with the government’s notification freezing administrative boundaries. He noted that retaining existing wards provides a degree of certainty to the electoral process.
However, the MLA stressed that clarity and transparency in the reservation of wards is equally critical. He said ward reservation directly affects the ability of candidates to prepare, organise and contest elections on an equal footing, and cannot be treated as a procedural formality.
Sardesai urged the state government and the Directorate to finalise and notify ward reservations well in advance of the civic polls. Any delay or last-minute announcement, he warned, would prejudice candidates, distort the electoral process and undermine the principles of fairness and natural justice.
The Fatorda legislator cautioned that failure to complete the reservation process within a reasonable and transparent timeframe could compel legal action. He said approaching the High Court would be a matter of institutional integrity and public interest rather than political expediency.
According to Sardesai, the credibility of municipal elections depends not only on compliance with statutory timelines but also on public confidence in the fairness and openness of decision-making. He expressed hope that the Directorate would act decisively to complete the reservation process in time, avoid unnecessary litigation and safeguard the democratic process.
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