Pune to have 42 wards, 166 corporators. Read to know more 

The decision to reintroduce the four-member ward system in the PMC is poised to expand the city’s ward count by one or two. This alteration from the traditional ‘one ward – one corporator’ system to a four-member ward structure seems to favor the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Since 2014, when the ward structure was initially implemented, the BJP has consistently secured the highest number of seats in the municipal corporation, peaking at 98 seats. Under the previous one ward, one corporator system, the BJP managed a maximum of 25 seats in the municipal corporation.

The state cabinet has given its nod to the implementation of the four-member ward system across all other Municipal Corporations in the state, excluding Mumbai. Though the timing of the postponed municipal elections remains uncertain, it appears that the multi-member ward structure will align favorably with the BJP’s electoral strategy.

In the previous elections, the BJP clinched 25 and 99 seats under the one and four-member ward structures, respectively. The decision to introduce the ward system was made by the former Maha Vikas Aghadi government, foreseeing a potential challenge to the BJP. However, the shift to a four-corporator ward seems poised to benefit the BJP.

In addition to the electoral mechanics, the social demographics within the wards play a crucial role. With the expansion of the ward size to accommodate four corporators, the voter base also increases, potentially enhancing the chances of BJP candidates securing victories through strategic polarization of votes.

The adoption of the four-member ward system is anticipated to raise the total number of wards in the city by one or two. In the previous five-year elections, 164 corporators were elected from 41 wards, with 39 wards having four corporators each and two wards comprising three corporators. Following the inclusion of eleven villages into the municipal limits in October 2017, an additional ward was created, resulting in the election of two corporators from this area.

Consequently, the corporation expanded to encompass 42 wards and 166 corporators. Recent years have witnessed the inclusion of 24 villages back into the PMC, prompting administrative estimations of two additional wards for these villages based on geographical considerations, along with an increase in the number of corporators by three to four.