NT Reporter
Panaji
The Goa State Election Commission has notified the ward delimitation for the ensuing elections to 11 municipal councils.
The notification covers Mormugao, Margao, Mapusa, Curchorem-Cacora, Bicholim, Cuncolim, Quepem, Canacona, Valpoi, Pernem and Sanguem municipal councils.
It also specifies the areas, Assembly constituency parts and house numbers falling within each
ward.
As per the recently notified Goa Municipalities (Amendment) Act, 2026, the number of councillors and delimitation of wards have been determined based on the total population of the municipal area rather than the number of registered voters.
The state election commissioner Menino D’Souza issued this notification on September 9 under Section 10(3) of the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968.
The notification is an important part of the conduct of the civic body elections, with the ward boundaries being now formally notified.
The delimitation process determines the territorial boundaries of the wards from which councillors will be elected in the respective municipalities.
It may be recalled that the High Court of Bombay at Goa had upheld the validity of the Goa Municipalities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, directing the state poll panel to complete the election process, including the declaration of results for all 11 municipalities by January 4, 2027.
The commission will next undertake the ward reservation process. The draft reservation will be placed before the public for their views for a period of one month. As per the court-directed schedule, the draft reservation is to be published by September 20, while the final reservation must be notified by November 9.
Furthermore, a 25-day model code needs to be in place in December 2026 and complete conduct of polls as well as counting by January 4, 2027.
The five-year terms of the 11 municipal councils expired between March and May 2026. Following the expiry of their terms, the state government appointed administrators to oversee the functioning of these local bodies.
