Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government is all set to go ahead by legislation for ward delimitation as the Governor is reluctant to ratify the ordinance. A cabinet meeting convened here on Monday gave approval for ward delimitation bills.
Kerala Municipality Amendment Bill and Kerala Panchayatiraj Amendment Bill stipulate that the number of members of each local self government institutions can be increased by one. The bills will be passed in the legislative assembly session to be started on 30 January. The bills contain same terms as that of in the Ordinance sent to the governor.
The bills passed by legislative assembly can become a law only if the governor ratifies it. If the governor does not sign the bill, it will be resubmitted. The bill stipulates to redetermine the wards as per 2011 census. Minister A.C. Moideen told the media that the administrational boundaries of the local self government institutions will not change. The minister also suggested that governor's prior approval is not required to present a bill in the Assembly.
The government moves to legislation as an uncertainty emerged as the Governor neither did sign an ordinance issued in the regard nor reverted it.
Ward delimitation was completed in 82 institutions of total 1200 institutions as per 2011 census after new municipalities were created by the previous government. In the rest of the institutions, ward delimitation is done on 2001 census. The government wants to avoid two method of delimitations and want uniform approach in all the institutions.