Pune: In PMC’s draft delimitation map, Yerwada largest ward, Baner-Sus Mhalunge smallest

As per the instructions of the state Election Commission (SEC), the PMC has published the draft delimitation map of the city for the coming civic elections, and local residents have been invited to file suggestions and objections by February 14.

Pune Municipal Corporation. (Express photo)

Yerwada will be the largest electoral ward while Baner-Sus-Mhalunge will be the smallest ward in the city as per the population distribution among the 58 electoral wards of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), for which elections will be held soon.

As per the instructions of the state Election Commission (SEC), the PMC has published the draft delimitation map of the city for the coming civic elections, and local residents have been invited to file suggestions and objections by February 14.

The public hearings should be completed by February 28 and the expert committee has to submit suggestions by March 2 to the SEC, which will then declare the final map of delimitation for the civic elections.

Going by the draft delimitation map, the Yerwada electoral ward, with 71,390 residents, is the largest while Baner-Sus-Mhalunge ward, with 37,589 residents, is the smallest ward. The approximate population of the city is 35,56,824, including 4,80,017 SC and 41,561 in the ST category, based on the 2011 Census.

Baner-Sus-Mhalunge ward will have two corporators while the other 57 electoral wards will have three corporators each, based on the multi-member electoral ward election system. In the current five-year term, the multi-member ward system has a maximum of four corporators.

The PMC is going to have more women corporators than men as 87 of the 173 seats in the civic body are reserved for women. This is in accordance with the state government legislation to keep 50 per cent seats reserved for women in local civic bodies. Also, 23 seats will be reserved for Scheduled Caste category and two for Scheduled Tribe category. The remaining 148 seats have been kept for open category as the Supreme Court has not allowed political reservation for Other Backward Class category until information on category-wise population is collected by the state government.

A total of 173 corporators will be elected to the civic general body for the next five-year term. The current term of the general body ends on March 15. The civic polls are likely to get delayed due to the pandemic and the state government is likely to appoint an administrator till the election of the new general body.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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