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Over 3 lakh voters in Pune have double entry in electoral roll, PMC says it is powerless to delete names

The date of elections to the Pune Municipal Corporation, which has a total of 35,51,469 voters, is yet to be announced

4 min readPuneUpdated: Nov 20, 2025 09:21 PM IST

The maximum number of voters is in ward 9 with 1,60,242 voters, followed by ward 38 with 1,48,769 voters, while the lowest number is in ward no 39, which has 62,205 voters, and ward no 20 with 65,061 voters. (Representational image/File)

The Pune Municipal Corporation, which published a ward-wise draft electoral roll for the upcoming local body elections on Thursday, has stated that the names of over three lakh voters in the electoral rolls figured twice.

The date of elections to the Pune Municipal Corporation, which has a total of 35,51,469 voters, is yet to be announced. The draft electoral rolls have been published for citizens to submit their suggestions and objections by November 27, which will be considered before coming up with the final electoral roll. The ward-wise electoral roll will be published on December 5.

“If the purity of the electoral roll is asked, over three lakh voters have been found to have appeared twice in the electoral rolls. We have no powers to carry out the deletion of voters received from the State Election Commission, but the list of double entries is with us, which would be used to ensure there is no double voting by the elector,” said Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram on Thursday.

There are 41 electoral wards in PMC, from which 165 corporators will be elected, including four each from 40 wards and five from one ward. The reservation of wards for women and different categories has already been done.

The state government declared in October that those enrolled in the voters’ list till July 1 will be able to vote in the PMC elections. The maximum number of voters is in ward 9 with 1,60,242 voters, followed by ward 38 with 1,48,769 voters, while the lowest number is in ward no 39, which has 62,205 voters, and ward no 20 with 65,061 voters.

“There is a big difference between the wards with the highest and lowest number of voters. However, this is because the ward with the highest number of voters is mainly formed with newly merged villages where enrollment of new voters has been the maximum due to rapid urbanisation in the area,” said the municipal commissioner.

The list of polling booths will be published on December 8, and the booth-wise voter list will be published on December 12. The suggestion or objection can be only about missing names from the electoral rolls of a local ward if they are included in another ward.

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Objections can also be registered in case a name appears in the electoral roll of the PMC local body election but is absent in the electoral roll of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, and clerical mistakes in name, gender, spelling, etc. Besides, a voter can object to a person’s name in the electoral roll of a ward only if the person is part of the same ward; no one from another ward can raise an objection to the inclusion or deletion of a name from any other ward.

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Voters have to submit their application for suggestion and objection, along with the supporting document of proof of their residence. In case of multiple objections from voters of the same housing society, a common application, signed by the chairperson and secretary of the housing society on their letterhead, can be submitted. Also, those taking objection to the electoral rolls should be enrolled in the voters’ list of the same ward.

The suggestions and objections will be verified by the local civic body employee who will visit the premises of the voter and collect the relevant documents of the individual regarding his or her stay. The previous five-year term of the elected body in the PMC ended in 2022, and since then, the civic body has been administered by municipal commissioners appointed by the state government.

Elections were delayed due to a reservation quota challenged in the Supreme Court. However, the apex court directed the state government to complete the civic body elections by the end of January next year.

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The BJP held power in the PMC in the previous five-year term from 2017 to 2022. However, the BJP, which is part of the Mahayuti alliance along with Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, is likely to contest the PMC civic polls independently.

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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