Pune: The district election machinery is grappling with the collection of acknowledgements linked to enumeration forms distributed by BLOs. Voters were given two forms —the main enumeration form and a separate acknowledgement form, which has to be signed by the BLO. Some have yet to submit one or both.Electors can submit the pending forms in their respective polling booths on Saturday and Sunday between 11am and 5pm when BLOs will be available. However, officials said that completing the exercise over the weekend could be difficult as voters may be away or unaware that the acknowledgement form has to be signed and submitted.The additional exercise has increased the workload for BLOs simultaneously handling verification, form collection, digitisation and voter follow-up.A senior citizen living at Athashri in Baner, who shifted from Dhayari in April, said her local BLO did not have her form. Her attempt to upload it online failed because of a spelling mismatch. The Khadakwasla BLO then told her to collect the form from the Dhayari office, a trip she said that would take an entire day and cost about Rs 750.Residents said the Kothrud BLO could not provide a blank form as they are pre-numbered and voter-specific, raising concerns that her name could end up on the untraced voters’ list.A Kondhwa resident said the BLO was unreachable on phone and could not be located making it difficult to submit the pending forms.District collector and election officer Jitendra Dudi has appealed to voters to use the weekend window to complete pending formalities, including submitting of forms for all eligible family members.Officials said lists of absent/shifted and duplicate voters have been published on the election department’s website and shared with political parties. Voters have been urged to check the lists and approach their BLOs if their names appear or if they have discrepancies or objections. The names have been put up on https://pune.gov.in/
