Pune: Wagholi Voters Face Mass Rejections: WACO Blames Shirur Election Office For Irregularities
Pune: Wagholi Voters Face Mass Rejections: WACO Blames Shirur Election Office For Irregularities
Pune, July 2, 2025 – The WACO Welfare Association has raised serious concerns over large-scale rejection of voter ID applications from Wagholi residents, citing gross mismanagement and possible corruption at the Shirur Election Office.
According to WACO, for the past four to five months, every application filed under Form 6 (New Voter Registration) and Form 8 (Correction/Transfer) has been routinely redirected for physical document verification at the Shirur Tahsil Office , located more than 50 kilometers away from Wagholi.
The Election Department operating out of Room No. 208 on the 2nd Floor of the Shirur Tahsil Office has reportedly rejected 100% of the applications where residents were unable to appear in person, despite submitting genuine documentation. The association has termed the move unjustified, exclusionary, and a direct violation of citizens’ constitutional right to vote .
Key Concerns Highlighted by WACO:
- Mass Rejections : All voter ID applications from Wagholi are being dismissed without clear reasoning.
- Impractical Verification : Requiring in-person visits to a remote location is seen as discriminatory and logistically unfeasible for many.
- Denial of Rights : The process is reportedly affecting hundreds of first-time voters, women, senior citizens, and working professionals , effectively excluding them from the electoral roll .
WACO’s Demands:
- Immediate investigation into the functioning and decisions of the Shirur Election Department.
- Establishment of a local document verification center in Wagholi to streamline and simplify the process.
- Introduction of digital or video call-based verification methods to ensure accessibility and transparency.
- Review and reinstatement of all applications unfairly rejected due to procedural lapses.
WACO has called on the State Election Commission and local authorities to intervene urgently and ensure that eligible citizens are not robbed of their right to vote due to administrative negligence.
