Pune’s draft ward structure has received 161 objections so far.
Many complaints highlight unclear boundaries, wards cutting across rivers or societies.
Citizens and housing societies demand boundary corrections and name changes.
Pune, 26 August 2025: The State Election Commission’s draft ward structure for the Pune Municipal Corporation has triggered widespread objections from both political parties and citizens. So far, 161 objections have been filed, of which 149 were submitted to the election office and 12 to regional offices. Citizens can file objections until September 4.
The city has been divided into 41 wards, each represented by four members. Because of this, ward boundaries now cover large areas, often merging urban suburbs with surrounding villages. Several objections argue that ward names do not reflect their actual geographical limits, making it difficult to identify areas. Many citizens have specifically asked for ward names to be changed.
A common grievance is that the new design crosses natural boundaries such as rivers and streams, despite rules discouraging such divisions. Officials explained that a similar pattern had been approved during the 2017 elections, and the current structure follows the same approach.
One major objection came from a housing society where 135 residents jointly opposed the division of their society into two separate wards. They demanded that the entire society remain in one ward. Similar issues are expected to arise in other parts of the city where societies have been split, which may lead to more objections in the coming days.