The carving out of new wards from existing ones in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation following the delimitation of wards does not seem to have gone down well with individuals, residents’ forums, and cultural and political organisations. The delimitation commission and the District Collector were flooded with complaints, pointing out geographical inaccuracies and other inconveniences.
An official who was part of a team that heard the objections on the new ward boundaries across the State said that a large number of complaints were related to the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. A total of 326 complaints were received with regard to the area alone.
Among the complaints was one on the division of Vazhuthacaud Junction. After the exercise, some of the landmarks of Vazhuthacaud, such as the Government Women’s College, Forest Headquarters, and M.P. Appan Nagar are no longer part of the Vazhuthacaud ward.
“Women’s College and the Forest Headquarters will go to Palayam ward as per the new arrangement. M.P. Appan Nagar, which has been an integral part of the Vazhuthacaud ward since its inception, will go to the new Thycaud ward,” the official says.
Some residents of Nemom complained of the distance of the new polling booths from their location . Vallakkdavu residents said that several areas of their ward were added to the new Shanghumughom ward, which they said, was not even geographically connected to these areas.
After delimitation, the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation was reduced from 100 wards to 99. The official said district-level officers had been entrusted with the task of conducting field visits to areas from where several complaints had arisen.
They would then submit a report to the District Election Officer, who would then submit it to the Election Commission. The final notification on the delimitation would be released only after this.
