The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched a major verification drive, examining more than 12,700 objections it has received concerning the preliminary ward-wise voters' lists published last month. The civic administration is working against the clock, with Wednesday marking the final day for submitting suggestions and objections.
Massive Scrutiny Drive as Deadline Looms
Officials stated that a significant portion of the complaints involve voters finding their names registered in electoral rolls for wards other than their own. In response, the civic body's election department has constituted dedicated teams across 14 ward offices. These teams are now conducting field visits to validate claims and initiate necessary corrections in the lists based on their on-ground observations.
Political Figures and Citizens Highlight Flaws
The process gained urgency after the State Election Commission (SEC) directed municipal corporations last week to start examining objections raised by citizens. Politicians, former corporators, and aspiring candidates have been vocal about discrepancies in the draft rolls. A former corporator from Shivajinagar revealed that his team has been actively encouraging voters to come forward and register objections when their names appear for incorrect wards.
"We want the administration to deploy more teams to deal with the large number of objections it has received in the last one week," the former corporator said. Many aspirants have even set up assistance booths within their areas to help residents locate their names in the extensive rolls, which list a total of 35.51 lakh voters across PMC's 41 wards.
Field Visits Expedited, No Word on Deadline Extension
A member of a civic team working in the Ghole Road area confirmed that inspection work has been accelerated. "After a basic scrutiny of objections, we are visiting the areas the same day or the next day," the member explained. This swift action aims to ensure the electoral list is accurate and fair.
As of Tuesday, civic officials confirmed they had not received any communication from the SEC regarding an extension of the Wednesday deadline. Data reveals that among the 12,738 objections received till Tuesday, the Sinhagad Road ward office recorded the highest number at 4,389. Citizens can still check the voters' lists at their local ward offices or on the official PMC website.
