Pune: PCMC Budget Presented Without Media After Commissioner–Journalist Standoff
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Pune | February 28, 2026
In an unprecedented development in the history of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the civic body’s annual budget was presented on Saturday in the complete absence of journalists, following a dispute between the administration and the media.
The controversy erupted after Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar issued instructions asking journalists to move back from their designated seating area in the standing committee hall to make space for officials. He reportedly told the media that he would speak to them only after the budget presentation, which journalists interpreted as an indirect directive to leave the hall.
This led to a heated verbal exchange between the commissioner and reporters present at the venue. Angered by the directive, journalists collectively walked out of the hall and announced a boycott of the budget press conference as well.
What Led to the Standoff
As per routine practice, journalists had taken their seats in the standing committee hall ahead of the budget presentation. However, moments before the proceedings began, Commissioner Hardikar asked that journalists vacate their seats so that officials could be accommodated instead.
The instruction triggered strong opposition from the media, who questioned the sudden enforcement of protocol. Journalists pointed out that earlier, during the election of Abhishek Barne as the Standing Committee Chairman, several political workers had crowded the hall without permission, but no similar action was taken by the administration.
They alleged double standards, stating that while unauthorised political crowds were allowed inside the hall without objection, accredited journalists present for official coverage were being asked to leave.
When questioned on this inconsistency, the commissioner reportedly did not respond.
Media Boycott and Historic First
In protest, journalists unanimously decided to boycott the budget session and exited the premises. As a result, for the first time in PCMC’s history, the municipal budget was presented without the presence of any media representatives.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism, with journalists and civil society members expressing concern that such actions undermine press freedom and weaken the role of the media as the “fourth pillar of democracy.”
The episode has raised serious questions about transparency, administrative conduct, and the relationship between the civic administration and the press, with many demanding accountability and clarity from the municipal authorities.
