The election department in Pune, acting on a High Court directive, has officially declared Jayashree Bhondave as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate for ward 16B in the Ravet-Kiwale area. This decision, made on Saturday, also involved allotting her the party's iconic 'clock' symbol, following a hearing conducted by the municipal commissioner.
How a Paperwork Error Sparked a Legal Battle
The controversy began after the scrutiny of nominations was completed. Civic officials released a list of candidates where Bhondave's name appeared as an independent, not as an NCP nominee. The poll officials had claimed that her mandatory A and B forms were not received, a statement that left the candidate shocked.
"I was shocked to see my name as an independent," Bhondave said. She insisted that the forms were submitted well within the deadline and she even possessed the acknowledgement receipt as proof. Upon inquiry, election staff confirmed the timely receipt verbally but stated the documents were missing from their records.
This discrepancy prompted Bhondave to immediately approach the High Court for justice. The court intervened, passing an order that instructed officials to conduct a proper hearing on the matter to ascertain the facts.
Hearing Reveals Administrative Mistake
A senior Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) official stated that the hearing was conducted in strict compliance with the High Court's directives. The proceedings revealed a clear error: Bhondave's A and B forms had indeed reached the election office before the deadline.
The mistake was attributed to an oversight by the poll staff. Consequently, a revised candidate list for ward 16B was issued, correcting the record to name Jayashree Bhondave as the official NCP candidate and restoring her right to use the party symbol.
Contrast with Other Ward Nominations
The resolution of Bhondave's case stands in stark contrast to the fate of nominations in another ward. Earlier, on the final day of nomination, forms submitted by five candidates in ward 24 were rejected. This group included three BJP aspirants and two from Shiv Sena, as their documents reached election officials after the stipulated deadline during scrutiny.
Meanwhile, campaign activities are intensifying across Pune's municipal wards:
- Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS candidates began a padayatra in the Kothrud area to reconnect with their traditional voter base.
- BJP candidates from ward no. 25, covering Shaniwar Peth-Mahatma Phule Mandai and Sadashiv Peth, kicked off their rally on Sunday.
- In the PCMC area, a BJP candidate seeking re-election in Ravet-Kiwale is meeting voters, facing questions about loyalty as she had contested on a different party's ticket in the 2017 elections—a common challenge for many turncoat candidates this season.
Bhondave's case underscores the critical importance of administrative accuracy in the electoral process and demonstrates the judiciary's role in safeguarding candidates' rights when official errors occur.
