The State Election Commission has granted Pune citizens a crucial extension, pushing the deadline for submitting suggestions and objections on the electoral rolls to December 3. This decision comes in the wake of mounting complaints and the civic body's own admission of significant errors, including a staggering three lakh double entries of voters.
Mounting Errors Force Deadline Extension
Originally set for November 27, the deadline was extended after the election department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) was flooded with grievances. Voters reported being incorrectly shifted from their residential wards to other electoral wards, a move that could severely impact voter turnout. Furthermore, the civic election department confirmed that in some instances, voters from outside Pune's city limits were erroneously included in the rolls meant for the forthcoming municipal corporation elections.
Political Parties Demand Error-Free Rolls
The pressure intensified on Monday when a united delegation of political parties, including the NCP(SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, MNS, AAP, and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, submitted a memorandum to the PMC. They strongly urged that the civic polls should not be conducted until the electoral rolls are thoroughly cleansed of all inaccuracies.
Prashant Jagtap, the city NCP(SP) chief, voiced serious concerns after meeting with PMC officers. He stated, "The PMC has already admitted to double the entry of three 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." He also criticized the initial eight-day window given to citizens for scrutiny as insufficient.
Citizen Action and Revised Election Schedule
In response, the PMC has empowered its administration to make necessary rectifications after proper verification. Civic deputy election officer Prasad Katkar has appealed to all citizens to proactively search for their names in the electoral rolls. He directed them to the official website, https://mahasecvoterlist.in/ObjectionOnClick/SearchName, to verify their details and contact the civic body for any corrections regarding their name or location.
As per the revised programme, the final polling electoral rolls, organized according to booths, will now be published on December 22, a delay from the original date of December 12. This extension provides a vital window for ensuring the integrity of the voter list, a cornerstone of a free and fair election.
