July 31: The Kamrup (metro) district administration and the Guwahati Municipal Corporation have started the process of implementing the Assam Nagara Raj Act, 2007, to institutionalise citizens’ participation in the functions of the corporation.

An official said according to a directive issued by the Guwahati development department, the administration was delimiting wards to create area sabhas (committees) and ward committees under the new act.

“Area sabhas will be constituted in every municipal ward. Representatives of each area sabha will be chosen by the residents of the area through elections conducted under the state election commission or any agency appointed in its place by the state government,” he said.

“The process of delimitation will help to clearly demarcate the boundaries of municipal wards. This will help the government to identify large and small wards. The number of representatives in area sabhas will increase and decrease depending on the size of the wards,” he added.

Representatives of the area sabhas will constitute ward committees, to be chaired by the councillor of the ward.

The Guwahati development department has decided to convene a series of meetings with officials of the district administration and the Guwahati Municipal Corporation next month to discuss the progress of municipal ward delimitation.

The delimitation exercise is expected to be complete by October.

“Officials of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation are being trained about various clauses of the Assam Nagara Raj Act, 2007, for smooth and effective enforcement of the act,” the official said.