While each Mumbaikar will cast a single vote in the election to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation today, their counterparts in Pune, Navi Mumbai, Thane and 25 other cities will each cast three or four votes owing to a multiple-member ward system.
What Is Multiple Member Ward System
In this system, each municipal ward elects three or four corporators, instead of one. For example, the Pune Municipal Corporation has 41 wards. Each ward elects four corporators, and the general body has 162 members. So each voter casts multiple votes.
Why This System
According to poll authorities, the multiple-member system is to provide adequate representation in densely populated urban areas. The idea is to reduce the number of wards and allow voters to elect multiple representatives from the same ward. Critics claim that the system favours larger parties and confuses voters.
How Voting Happens
Like in Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the voter presses the button next to a candidate's name on the EVM. But in this case, the machine prompts the voter to cast the second, the third and the fourth, if needed. Poll officials said the voting process will not be complete till all votes required are cast.
What About Mumbai Voters
Mumbai is the only city in Maharashtra where voters cast only one vote. Each ward elects one corporator and each voter casts one vote. There are 227 wards under the BMC, meaning 227 corporators are elected.
