THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has issued a notification increasing the number of grama panchayat wards as part of Kerala's local body ward re-division. A total of 1,375 wards have been added in 941 panchayats. The existing 15,962 wards will be increased to 17,337. There will be 14 wards in the smallest panchayats. There are up to 24 wards in large panchayats.

The 2080 wards in 152 block panchayats will be increased to 2267. There are 187 new wards coming up. There will be 15 divisions in 14 district panchayats. There will be two divisions in Thiruvananthapuram and one division each in other districts.

The ward delimitation notification for municipalities and corporations will be issued today and tomorrow. The re-assessment commission was appointed to increase one ward each in the grama panchayats. However, when the new wards were arranged, there were up to three wards. Of the total wards, 50 percent are reserved for women. There are also scheduled caste and scheduled tribe reservations.

Demarcation and Naming

• Demarcation talks will begin once the municipality and corporation lists come up. The ward delimitation commission will issue guidelines for this. Objections and complaints will be heard under the leadership of collectors
• Following this, the secretaries of the local government will demarcate the boundaries and name the wards. The formalities will be completed and a final notification will be issued.

Ward increase highest in Malappuram

(District, Grama Panchayats, Post-division Wards, Existing Wards, Increase in Brackets)

Thiruvananthapuram.......... 73...........1386...........1299 (87)

Kollam............................ 68...........1314...........1234 (80)

Pathanamthitta.................... 53...........833............. 788 (45)

Alappuzha........................ 72...........1253............1169 (84)

Kottayam.......................... 71..........1223.............1140 (83)

Idukki........................... 52............834..............792 (42)

Ernakulam................ 82...........1467............1338 (129)

Thrissur.......................... 86...........1601.............1465 (136)

Palakkad..................... 88...........1636.............1490 (146)

Malappuram....................... 94.......... 2001.............1778 (223)

Kozhikode............... 70...........1343..............1226 (117)

Wayanad....................... 23...........450............... 413 (37)

Kannur.......................... 71...........1271..............1166 (105)

Kasaragod................ 38...........725.................664 (61)

Block Panchayat

(District, existing wards, after re-division, increase in brackets)

Thiruvananthapuram.................... 155....................169 (14)

Kollam...................................... 152....................166 (14)

Pathanamthitta.............................. 106.....................114 (8)

Alappuzha.................................. 158....................170 (12)

Kottayam.................................... 146....................157 (11)

Idukki..................................... 104....................112 (8)

Ernakulam........................... 185....................202 (17)

Thrissur..................................... 213...................231 (18)

Palakkad................................ 183....................200 (17)

Malappuram................................. 223....................250 (27)

Kozhikode........................... 169....................183 (14)

Wayanad..................................... 54......................59 (5)

Kannur..................................... 149.....................162 (13)

Kasaragod............................ 83.......................92 (9)