Odisha Urban Polls: Revised Schedule Issued for Ward Delimitation, Seat Reservation

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has revised the timeline for ward delimitation and seat reservation ahead of the forthcoming general elections to Municipalities, Notified Area Councils (NACs) and Municipal Corporations in the state.

The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department has communicated the revised schedule to all concerned District Collectors, except the Collector of Boudh, with some changes made to the earlier timeline.

Under the new schedule, draft notifications on ward delimitation and seat reservation will be published by the concerned District Collectors on September 24, 2026. Members of the public will be able to submit objections and suggestions until October 3.

Following this, preliminary notifications will be issued on October 7. Those seeking to challenge the preliminary notification can file appeals before the H&UD Department between October 7 and October 21.

The District Collectors will forward the appeals, along with their recommendations or comments, to the Director of Municipal Administration by October 22. The State Government, acting as the appellate authority, will hear the appeals and take final decisions between October 26 and 28.

The process will culminate with publication of the final notification on ward boundary redetermination and seat reservation on October 31. Copies of the final notification will subsequently be provided to the State Election Commission, the state government and the respective Municipality or NAC.

A separate timeline has been laid down for the four Municipal Corporations of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur and Rourkela.

The four civic bodies have been asked to submit details on proposed ward delimitation and seat reservation to the H&UD Department by September 24. The submissions must include the prescribed Form-I and Form-II, sketch maps showing ward boundaries and the resolution adopted by the respective Municipal Corporation.

For these four corporations, the H&UD Department will publish the draft notification on proposed ward boundary changes and seat reservation on October 5. The public can submit objections and suggestions until October 14.

The department has directed the Municipal Commissioners of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur and Rourkela to submit all required information and documents within the stipulated deadlines.

The revised schedule is intended to ensure that the delimitation of wards and reservation of seats is completed in a systematic manner ahead of the urban local body elections, with opportunities provided for public objections and appeals before the final notifications are issued.