The Calcutta High Court has declined to issue an interim order against the redrawing of Kolkata Municipal Corporation wards, leaving the increase from 144 to 208 wards in force for now ahead of the municipal election expected in December.
Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya dismissed the interim application on Thursday but did not dismiss the main case. The court directed the parties to file affidavits before it decides whether the petition challenging the ward delimitation is maintainable.
The West Bengal government has been asked to submit its affidavit on the maintainability of the case within three weeks. The Trinamool Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have been given four weeks to respond. The matter will be heard again after six weeks.
The petition was filed by a resident of Kasba, who challenged the process used to redraw the municipal ward boundaries. The petitioner alleged that the delimitation was not carried out through a reasonable or legally appropriate method.
According to the report, the challenge raises questions over whether population, geographical location and administrative convenience were adequately considered while reorganising the wards. These factors are central to how municipal representation is structured because ward boundaries determine the areas represented by elected councillors and the administrative units through which residents engage with the civic body.
The court’s decision not to grant an interim order means there is currently no stay on the ward-reorganisation process. Lawyers cited in the report said the absence of a stay means the municipal election process can continue for the time being.
The dispute comes as Kolkata prepares for a municipal election in December. Any change to the ward map before polling would have implications for the election schedule, candidate planning and the administrative preparation required across the civic body. However, the court has not yet ruled on the substance of the allegations or confirmed whether the petition can proceed.
The next stage will focus on the affidavits from the state government and the political parties. The court is expected to consider those submissions at the next hearing, scheduled six weeks after Thursday’s proceedings.
