Political Parties Gear Up as Pune Municipal Elections Ward Structure Set to Be Finalized

Pune, 27th September 2025: The final ward structure for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections was presented to the State Election Commission on Friday, setting the stage for elections that were delayed for over three years. The Commission is expected to announce the final ward structure with any necessary changes in the first week of October.

Following this, reserved wards for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and women will be determined by October 10, providing clarity on which candidates can contest from each ward. The PMC elections will be conducted under the directive of the Supreme Court, with results expected in the last phase of January. A new mayor is anticipated to be elected in February.

The upcoming elections will feature a total of 41 wards—40 with four members each and one with five members—electing a total of 165 corporators. After the Election Commission released the draft ward structure, 5,922 objections were filed. An authorized officer, V. Radha, appointed by the state government, conducted hearings over two days, attended by approximately 842 citizens. Following this, a report was submitted to the state government, and the revised ward structure was then presented to the Election Commission in Mumbai.

During the presentation, officials provided details on the number and nature of objections, areas suggesting changes, and other relevant matters. Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, Additional Commissioner Om Prakash Divate, and Deputy Commissioner Prasad Katkar were present for the proceedings.

Reliable sources indicate that the final ward structure could be announced as early as October 3, though the official deadline is October 6. Once finalized, the Election Commission will conduct a draw to determine ward reservations, completing the process before October 10. Subsequently, the voter lists will be divided ward-wise, objections and suggestions invited, and the final voter list is expected to be released by November.

With these steps, political parties and prospective candidates have already begun preparations for the upcoming PMC elections.