The Pune divisional administration has completed preparations for voting in the Pune Division Graduate and Teachers’ Constituency elections, with polling scheduled across Pune, Solapur, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur on Friday, 23 October, from 8am to 4pm.
The administration has designated 1,051 polling centres for the two constituencies and appointed around 6,900 personnel, including reserve staff. Election Returning Officer and Divisional Commissioner Sheetal Teli-Ugle said the arrangements were intended to ensure that polling was conducted smoothly, transparently and peacefully.
The Graduate Constituency has 741 polling centres and 388,019 registered voters, while the Teachers’ Constituency has 310 centres and around 62,000 voters. Together, the two constituencies have 450,019 eligible voters.
Kolhapur has the largest number of Graduate Constituency voters, with 114,562 voters assigned to 212 polling centres. Pune has the highest number of Teachers’ Constituency voters, with 16,882 voters across 72 centres.
In Pune district, the Graduate Constituency has 88,202 voters and 160 polling centres, while the Teachers’ Constituency has 16,882 voters and 72 centres. Solapur has 49,722 graduate voters at 117 centres and 15,303 teacher voters at 76 centres. Satara has 47,463 graduate voters at 93 centres and 9,454 teacher voters at 44 centres.
Sangli has 88,070 graduate voters at 159 centres and 8,062 teacher voters at 48 centres. In Kolhapur, 114,562 graduate voters will use 212 centres, while 12,299 teacher voters will vote at 70 centres.
The administration has planned for 2,158 ballot boxes, including reserve boxes, for the Graduate Constituency and 703 ballot boxes for the Teachers’ Constituency. Polling material will be distributed from designated centres, including the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune; the government grain warehouse at Ramwadi in Solapur; the DMO warehouse in the MIDC area of Satara; Tarun Bharat Maidan in Sangli; and the government grain warehouse at Ramanmala in Kolhapur.
After distribution at the district level, polling teams will receive their material through tehsil and sub-divisional offices. Once voting ends, the ballot boxes will be transported under police protection to the acceptance centre at Balewadi in Pune. The administration has arranged around 750 vehicles, including State Transport buses, jeeps and tempos, for the movement of ballot boxes and election material.
Polling centres have been instructed to provide ramps, drinking water, electricity, furniture, separate toilets for women and men, shaded waiting areas, help desks, volunteers, queue management, childcare facilities and first-aid kits. These arrangements are intended to reduce inconvenience for voters and polling staff during the voting process.
Private establishments, companies, malls, shops and other workplaces have been directed to provide eligible employees with four hours of paid leave to cast their votes. Assistant Labour Commissioner S.T. Shirke said wages could not be reduced for the period of leave.
Counting of votes is scheduled for Tuesday, 27 October. The administration has planned to complete the entire election process before 31 October. Teli-Ugle has appealed to all eligible graduate and teacher voters in the Pune division to vote between 8am and 4pm and record a valid preference order.
