Pune civic activists decry 'secrecy' at public hearing

Civic activists in Pune strongly objected to the alleged secrecy in which the state election commission conducted the hearing on Wednesday and Thursday on suggestions and objections to formation of municipal wards for the forthcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) election.

State election commissioner Neela Satyanarayan was present at the hearing held at Balgandharva auditorium. No one except those who had filed suggestions and objections were allowed to enter the hall and security was unprecedented.

Sajag Nagrik Manch (SNM) president Vivek Velankar condemned the commission's move as "anti democratic", saying citizens, NGOs and the media were not allowed to attend. Civic activist Sudhir Kulkarni said hurried manner and the attempt to complete the process raised suspicions.

National Society for Clean Cities (NSCC) Pune president, Satish Khot, said that the hearing was carried out as a formality and no effort was made to encourage citizens' participation in the process. Those who presented their views before the commission had to prove their identity time and again.
Khot said that ward formation had been done without taking into account ground realities and natural boundaries.

Satyanarayan told reporters that the commission never held a public hearing while holding polls for local self-government bodies. As it was not meant for public, permission was given to only those who had file objections or had suggestions.