Howrah Municipal Corporation will now have 66 wards, Bengal Govt approves amendment

The West Bengal state cabinet has approved a crucial amendment to the Howrah Municipality Act, 1980, to resolve the long-standing administrative impasse in the industrial city. Under the new decision, the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) will now officially consist of 66 wards, despite the separation of Bally Municipality. This legislative tweak aims to finalize the jurisdictional map of the area, which has seen numerous legal and administrative shifts over the last decade.

The history of this dispute dates back to 2015, when Bally was merged with Howrah, creating a 66-ward structure. However, in 2021, the state decided to demerge Bally, which theoretically should have reduced Howrah’s wards back to 50. This demerger was initially delayed due to a standoff with the former Governor, but it finally received the nod from Governor C.V. Ananda Bose in 2025. The government now argues that because the population of Howrah has doubled in the last 10 years, increasing the number of wards to 66 is a logistical necessity.

This cabinet decision is being viewed as a major step toward conducting the much-delayed municipal elections. Howrah has not seen a local body vote since 2013, as the elections scheduled for 2018 were stalled due to these very boundary complications. Currently, the municipality is functioning under an administrator, and the lack of elected representatives has often been cited as a reason for stagnating urban development in the region.

By amending the 1980 Act, the state government intends to clear all legal hurdles that previously prevented the delimitation process. Once the bill is passed in the assembly, the State Election Commission will be able to initiate the process of drawing new ward boundaries based on the increased count. For the residents of Howrah, this move brings hope for a return to democratic local governance and improved civic services tailored to the current population density.