The election office in Pune district has formally approached the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), urging them not to assign census responsibilities to Block Level Officers (BLOs). This request stems from concerns that such duties are impeding the ongoing pre-SIR mapping efforts in the district. Minal Kalaskar, the Deputy District Election Officer, confirmed to The Indian Express on Friday that correspondence was sent to both the commissioners of PMC and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) last week to address the matter.

Kalaskar noted, “We have sufficient BLOs available. The challenge arises because some of them are also assigned census tasks. Therefore, we have requested the commissioners of PMC and PCMC to allocate census duties to other personnel instead of our BLOs.”

In response, PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram remarked, “I have not yet received the letter. However, our priority at this moment is the census work, which is a time-sensitive initiative. There are no elections scheduled in the immediate future. The census requires a substantial workforce, and we have even recruited additional private personnel to assist with this effort. Consequently, we do not foresee any changes in this regard.”

The initial phase of the census, which involves self-enumeration, is scheduled to run from May 1 to May 15. Following this, from May 16 to June 14, field operations will take place to document details of every household.

SIR mapping entails BLOs verifying the current voter list against the one compiled by the Election Commission in 2002. Kalaskar mentioned that 36 percent of the mapping process has already been completed in the district.

Kalaskar further clarified, “There are misconceptions that the SIR process would conclude on March 30 or April 15. In reality, it has not even commenced yet. We urge citizens not to panic and to assist the government by checking their names against the 2002 voter roll. They can reach out to their designated BLOs, whose contact information is available on the District Collector’s website.” Additionally, a list of contacts for all Pune BLOs can be found at the link https://pune.gov.in/en/document/list-of-blos-of-pune-district/.

Soham Shah serves as a Correspondent for The Indian Express in Pune. With a degree in journalism and a background in fact-checking, he approaches his reporting with a detailed and research-based methodology.

Professional Background:

• Role: Correspondent covering educational and civic matters in Pune.
• Specialization: Primarily focuses on education while also addressing civic issues, public health, human rights, and state-level politics.
• Key Strength: Engages in data-driven journalism, particularly regarding school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025):

• Investigations & Governance
  • “Express Impact: Mother’s name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site” (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on an important policy shift by PMC following earlier analyses on gender inclusivity in official documents.
  • “44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest” (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative report focusing on real estate irregularities involving prominent political families.
• Education & Campus Life
  • Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigation into professor shortages at Savitribai Phule Pune University.
  • “Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6” (July 2): A comprehensive analysis of the controversies surrounding the state’s initiative to introduce a third language from Class 1.
  • “Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report” (Jan 2025): A review of inconsistencies in the state’s education statistics despite an increase in student enrollments.
• Human Rights & Social Issues
  • “Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend” (Dec 17, 2025): A poignant opinion piece addressing “crimes of love” and honor killings in contemporary India.
  • “‘People disrespect the disabled’: Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians” (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident facing severe online harassment, highlighting challenges related to disability and cyberbullying.

Soham is recognized for his focus on civil liberties in his reporting. He consistently advocates for the rights of marginalized groups, whether they are students fighting for democratic representation on campus, victims of outdated social practices, or residents dealing with deteriorating urban infrastructure, as evidenced in his “Breathless Pune” contributions. He skillfully connects local Pune issues to broader national dialogues surrounding law and liberty.

Twitter: @SohamShah07