MoD halts PCB drive to update voters’ list due to Covid-19

The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) has stopped the process to update the voters’ list after it received directions from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to do so due to

The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) has stopped the process to update the voters’ list after it received directions from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to do so due to the spike in Covid-19 infections in and around the area.

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The PCB administration had started the drive in all eight wards to add and delete names on the voters’ list as its current tenure ends in August. PCB board’s tenure had lapsed in February and it was granted an extension of six months by the Ministry of Defence. Elections to the Pune Cantonment were last held in January 2015.

PCB chief executive officer (CEO) Amit Kumar said, “July 21 was the last day for the submission of objections to the board. We deployed the entire staff and a final draft of the voters’ list is ready. Hearing of submissions is pending and during such hearings usually 300 to 400 people turn up to voice their grievances. Hence, the ministry put the entire exercise on hold till further orders.”

PCB currently has 47,000 voters on in its list. “This halt will impact the conduct of elections and there is a likelihood of another extension being granted to the present board,” he added.

Former elected member of the PCB, Manzoor Shaikh, said, “There are complaints related to addition of new names and deletion of old names in Ward number 8 and we are filing a complaint with the board seeking restoration of the earlier list,” he said.

Ward no./ No. of voters

I- 4057

II- 4,142

III- 4,642

IV- 5,687

V- 4,955

VI- 4,839

VII- 4,283

VIII- 4,597

Total- 37,202