Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Housing and Urban Development Department on Friday issued a revised schedule for ward delimitation and seat reservation ahead of the forthcoming general elections to Municipalities, Notified Area Councils (NACs) and Municipal Corporations in the state.

The revised timeline has been communicated to all concerned District Collectors, except the Collector of Boudh, with partial modifications to the schedule issued earlier.

As per the revised schedule, draft notifications on ward delimitation and seat reservation will be published by the concerned District Collectors on September 24, 2026. Members of the public can submit objections and suggestions until October 3.

The preliminary notifications will subsequently be published on October 7. Appeals against the preliminary notifications can be filed before the Housing and Urban Development Department between October 7 and October 21.

The District Collectors will forward the appeals, along with their recommendations or comments, to the Director of Municipal Administration by October 22. The State Government, acting as the appellate authority, will hear the appeals and take final decisions between October 26 and October 28.

The final notifications on ward boundary redetermination and seat reservation will be published by the concerned District Collectors on October 31, 2026. Copies of the final notifications will be furnished to the State Election Commission, the State Government and the respective Municipality or NAC.

Revised schedule for four Municipal Corporations

A separate timeline has been prescribed for ward delimitation and seat reservation in the Municipal Corporations of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur and Rourkela.

The four Municipal Corporations have been directed to submit details relating to ward delimitation and seat reservation to the Housing and Urban Development Department by September 24. The information is to be provided in the prescribed Form-I and Form-II, along with sketch maps showing ward boundaries and resolutions adopted by the respective Municipal Corporations.

The Department will publish the draft notification for proposed ward boundary redetermination and seat reservation on October 5, 2026. The public can submit objections and suggestions until October 14.

The Housing and Urban Development Department has directed the Municipal Commissioners of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur and Rourkela to submit all required information and documents within the stipulated deadlines.

The Department has also instructed all concerned District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners to ensure that the ward delimitation and seat reservation processes are completed systematically and within the revised timelines.