Pune Zilla Parishad-Panchayat Samiti Elections: Modest Start With 5 Nominations; Over 2,200 Forms Sold District-Wide

The nomination process for the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections in Pune district has begun, with a modest response in terms of filed applications during the first two days, while the sale of nomination forms has seen significant interest among aspirants.

According to the district administration, five nomination papers have been filed for Zilla Parishad constituencies and four for Panchayat Samiti wards in the last two days. Meanwhile, a total of 940 nomination forms for 73 Zilla Parishad groups and 1,265 forms for 146 Panchayat Samits have been sold.

The process of filing nominations commenced on Friday (January 16) following directives from the State Election Commission, which also enforced the Model Code of Conduct across the district. The last date for filing nomination papers is January 21, and applications will be accepted daily until 3 pm. The administration has clarified that nomination papers will not be accepted on Sunday, January 18, as it is a weekly holiday.

For the Zilla Parishad elections, 535 nomination forms were sold on Friday, with one nomination filed the same day. On Saturday, 405 forms were sold, and four nominations were submitted, taking the total number of filed applications to five. Of these, two nominations each have been filed from Indapur and Khed talukas, while one has been received from Haveli taluka. Among the five applicants, four are men, and one is a woman.

In the case of Panchayat Samiti elections, 772 nomination forms were sold on Friday, with one application filed, while Saturday saw the sale of 493 forms and the filing of three nominations. So far, four nominations have been submitted—three from rural areas and one from Haveli taluka. All four applicants are men.

Daund taluka has recorded the highest sale of nomination forms, with 130 forms sold for Zilla Parishad groups and 194 forms sold for Panchayat Samiti ganas, indicating strong electoral interest from the region. With several days remaining before the deadline, election officials expect a surge in nomination filings in the coming days.