Pre-poll preparations underway, all eyes on vacant Pune LS seat

“The district election office had sought details of gazetted officers of the civic body. We have provided them the list,” said Chetana Kerure, who is in charge of the PMC’s election department. The district administration has also sought information about polling booths in the civic jurisdiction. Kerure said the PMC provides all necessary information to the district election office whenever it is sought.

Bapat passed away on March 29, 2023, with a year to go before his five-year term ended. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in May 2019 after defeating Mohan Joshi of the Congress. As per the law, a Lok Sabha seat cannot remain vacant for more than six months and the by-election has to be carried out within six months of the death of a sitting member.

In April, the PMC administration had warned of legal action against its staff for failing to perform their responsibilities as Booth Level Officer (BLO) after being deputed by the district election office. “The district election office has conveyed the list of civic staff deputed as BLO in various parts of the city. If the BLOs are negligent in performing their duty, action would be taken against them,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner Ravindra Binawade.

The BLO is supposed to assist eligible citizens to register as voters and have to do physical verification of each voter.

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The Pune Lok Sabha by-election will be crucial to the BJP considering its recent loss in the Kasba bypoll in the city. The win, however, has boosted the confidence of members of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The BJP had held the seat for the previous three decades.