After double entries, new headache for PMC: voters from outside city in electoral rolls

Another civic officer said the names of voters from outside the city, like Khed Shivapur, have been featured in the PMC’s electoral rolls. The areas of several voters have also changed, he said.

Former corporator Nilesh Nikam said that 1,211 voters of Khadki Cantonment Board (KCB) have been included in the PMC’s electoral rolls. “The PMC election department claims to verify the electoral rolls. So, the Pune civic body should take action against the civic staff, who included the voters of the KCB in the PMC. It is their negligence and should be punished by law,” Nikam said.

A delegation of leaders from the NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Aam Aadmi Party and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi have submitted a memorandum to the PMC, urging it not to hold the elections till the electoral rolls are free of errors.

“The PMC has already admitted to double the entry of 3 lakh voters. Many voters’ names have been included in the electoral rolls far away from their residential localities. It seems the administration is working for the ruling alliance in the state government,” city NCP(SP) chief Prashant Jagtap alleged, adding that it would be wrong to continue with such an error-filled electoral roll.

What citizens can do

Civic deputy election officer Prasad Katkar said that the citizens can verify their names using this link—https://mahasecvoterlist.in/ObjectionOnClick/SearchName—and reach out to the civic body if any corrections are required.

The submission has to be done by November 27, as the State Election Commission has not granted any extension on seeking suggestions and objections on electoral rolls, he said.

Citizens can also avail hard copies of the electoral rolls after paying the necessary charges. A sum of Rs 13,30,279 has been deposited for this purpose till November 24. The hard copy of the electoral rolls includes photographs of voters, unlike the data online, where the photo is hidden.

Civic polls are being held for the first time since 2017, after the election process was kept on hold by the Supreme Court after the reservation for seats was challenged. The previous five-year term of the PMC general body ended in 2022. Since then, the municipal commissioner has been functioning as the administration of the civic body. The Supreme Court later gave the go-ahead for the civic polls, while continuing to hear the matter on seat reservations.