Pune Municipal Elections: Satellite Technology to Be Used for Ward Formation, Says PMC Official

Pune, 11th June 2025: In a move aimed at ensuring greater transparency in the upcoming municipal elections, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will use satellite systems and Google tools to assist in ward formation, according to Deputy Commissioner and Election Officer Prasad Katkar.

Katkar stated that the ward formation process will be carried out in a highly transparent manner with the help of technology. “To avoid errors and disputes in the process, we will use satellite mapping and digital tools for precise boundary marking,” he said.

Dedicated Election Monitoring Room at Savarkar Bhavan
To streamline election-related operations, the PMC will set up a dedicated room at Savarkar Bhavan, from where officials will monitor the ward formation and other electoral activities.

Katkar further informed that a draft ward formation committee will be constituted under the leadership of the Municipal Commissioner. This committee will include:
The Election Decision Officer
The Town Planner
Two additional officers
A team of 20 municipal employees with prior experience in ward formation
Revised Ward Plan Based on Latest Population Figures
In 2022, PMC had created 58 wards with three members each, based on a population of 35,56,324. The upcoming ward structure will be redrawn based on the updated population of 34,81,359, excluding two recently excluded villages. The new structure may feature three-member, four-member, or even five-member wards depending on local demographics and geography.

Katkar explained that the ward formation will follow a standard formula: one corporator per one lakh population. The administration has already begun drafting the new ward boundaries using the most recent Lok Sabha and Assembly voter lists.

Reservation and Boundary Guidelines
Katkar noted that the Scheduled Tribe (ST) population in the old city limits stands at 40,654, while the general population is approximately 4.85 lakh. This means one ward will be reserved for ST candidates. The draft boundaries will take into account physical features like roads, buildings, streams, and drains to avoid future disputes.

Public Objections and Final Notification
Once the draft ward structure is published, a public hearing will be held to receive objections and suggestions. After reviewing all feedback, the final ward structure will be announced.

“The goal is to make the entire process transparent, efficient, and inclusive, keeping in mind the administrative boundaries and the population-based representation,” Katkar emphasized.