Pune Civic Polls Record 54.50% Voter Turnout, Counting Today
Pune Municipal Corporation elections concluded on Thursday with a voter turnout of 54.50 percent. All eyes now turn to the counting process scheduled for today. The polling percentage fell slightly short of the 55.56 percent recorded in the 2017 civic elections.
Voter Turnout Falls Short of Expectations
Despite a high-octane election campaign by political parties, the PMC polls failed to show any increase in voter participation. This election happened after a gap of nine years. Many expected higher numbers given Pune's growing population and rapid urbanisation.
The city now has 35,52,637 registered voters across 41 wards. These voters were electing 165 corporators. However, the anticipated surge in voting percentage did not materialise.
Multiple Issues Affected Polling Process
Several problems marred the voting process throughout the day. Missing names in electoral rolls created confusion for many citizens. Some voters discovered their names had been shifted to different electoral wards without notice.
Technical snags in Electronic Voting Machines also caused disruptions. According to PMC officials, election staff had to replace 26 control units and 76 ballot units during polling hours.
Slow Start Picks Up Momentum
Polling began slowly with just 5.5 percent voting in the first two hours. Voting started at 7.30 am and continued until 5.30 pm. The pace gradually improved as the day progressed.
Many early voters arrived before heading to their workplaces. Others incorporated voting into their morning walk routines. Union minister Murlidhar Mohol and state minister Chandrakant Patil both cast their votes in the morning hours.
Voters Share Their Frustrations
Twenty-three-year-old Atharva Banatwala expressed disappointment when he found his name missing from electoral rolls. He had voted successfully in both the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections during 2024.
Activist Vivek Velankar faced a peculiar situation. His son and daughter-in-law, who reside together in Sadashiv Peth, were assigned different polling stations five kilometers apart. "This is magic by the PMC administration," Velankar remarked angrily.
Seventy-five-year-old Ramling Bawkar from Sinhagad Road experienced similar confusion. While his family members could vote near their residence, his name appeared in a different ward two kilometers away.
Panel Voting Creates Confusion
Some voters reported confusion about the panel voting system. They expected to press one button on each of four separate EVMs. Instead, they encountered three EVMs with some subcategories stacked vertically within single machines.
Dinesh Pawar explained the situation clearly. "We were told there would be four different EVMs," he said. "But there were only three EVMs as two subcategories were in EVM one below the other."
Allegations of Bogus Voting Surface
City Shiv Sena chief Pramod Bhangire, contesting from Kondhwa area, made serious allegations. He claimed NCP candidates brought 2,500 citizens from outside Pune district for bogus voting. Bhangire confirmed that police had been informed about these activities.
On Sinhagad Road, NCP leader Roopali Chakankar reported seeing unknown citizens voting in PMC elections. She observed someone immediately removing ink marks from voters' fingers after they cast their ballots. Chakankar raised concerns about possible repeated voting with the state election commission.
Technical Issues Spark Political Confrontation
In Kasba Peth area, party workers entered a polling booth after an EVM developed technical problems mid-polling. They alleged BJP involvement in the malfunction. The incident highlighted the tense atmosphere surrounding these civic elections.
As Pune awaits the counting results today, these polling day issues have raised questions about electoral preparedness. The final outcome will determine the political landscape of India's cultural capital for the coming years.
