India, Oct. 16 -- A row has erupted in Navi Mumbai over the final notification of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) ward boundaries, with former BJP minister Ganesh Naik and his supporters accusing the urban development department headed by Shiv Sena chief and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde of deliberately redrawing ward boundaries to fragment their support base. Other parties, including from the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA), have levelled similar allegations while Naik's supporters have announced plans to move court, setting the stage for a legal battle even before ballots are cast for the municipal polls.

The final notification of NMMC wards, issued by the State Election Commission (SEC), was published in...