With the crucial Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections just days away, the city's civic administration is in the final stages of meticulous preparation. The electoral battle, set for January 15, will see a massive electorate of 35.51 lakh voters decide the fate of candidates across 41 wards.
Massive Scale of Polling Infrastructure
The voting process will be conducted across a vast network of 4,011 polling stations established throughout the city. To manage this colossal exercise, the administration will deploy over 26,000 staff members on poll duty. Ensuring law and order, a force of 4,100 police personnel will be stationed at these booths. The electoral machinery has arranged for more than 14,500 ballot units to facilitate smooth voting.
In a significant move, the administration has identified and tagged 906 polling stations as "sensitive." An official confirmed that all these sensitive locations will be under the close and constant surveillance of the authorities to ensure a free and fair poll.
Key Deadlines and Sankranti Vigilance
As per the election code, the high-voltage campaign for the PMC polls must conclude by 5:30 PM on January 13, stated Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Divte. The timing presents a unique challenge as Makar Sankranti falls on the very next day, January 14. The administration has issued a stern warning, noting that a close watch will be maintained to prevent any distribution of gifts or materials to citizens by candidates or political parties under the guise of the festival.
This directive reinforces the instructions already issued by the State Election Commission, which strictly prohibits any form of gift distribution to influence voters.
Voter Facilitation and Unopposed Wins
To assist the large electorate, the civic body has launched a dedicated web-based application. Voters can conveniently search for their names and locate their designated polling stations through a link available on the official PMC website. Furthermore, the administration will also undertake the distribution of physical voter slips to guide citizens.
Out of the 1,155 candidates originally in the fray from the 41 wards, two have already secured their victory without a contest. These candidates were elected unopposed from the Suncity-Manikbaug ward in the Sinhagad Road area, setting the stage for the remaining intense contests across Pune's political landscape.
