2 min readPuneApr 17, 2026 10:37 PM ISTSIR mapping involves BLOs checking the current voter list against the voter list that was prepared in 2002 by the Election Commission. (Source: Express Archives)The Pune district election office has written to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) requesting that census work not be assigned to Block Level Officers (BLOs) as it was slowing down pre-SIR mapping being carried out in the district. Minal Kalaskar, Deputy District Election Officer, told The Indian Express on Friday that a letter had been sent to the commissioners of PMC and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation the previous week regarding the issue.“We are not facing any shortage of BLOs. The issue is that some of my BLOs are also having census duty. So we have already given letters to PMC and PCMC commissioners to give census work to some other persons and not our BLOs,” Kalaskar said.In response, PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said, “I haven’t received the letter. But at this point in time, for us, census work is more important. It is a time-bound programme. There is no election in the near future. The census requires a very huge workforce, we have even hired private people. So that may not change.”The first phase of the census—self enumeration—is set to begin from May 1, and continue till May 15. Then from May 16 to June 14, field operations will commence and details of every house will be recorded.SIR mapping involves BLOs checking the current voter list against the voter list that was prepared in 2002 by the Election Commission. Kalaskar informed that 36 per cent of the mapping had already taken place in the district.Kalaskar added, “There are rumours going on that it (SIR) would have ended on March 30 or April 15. However, it has not even started yet. People should not panic and help the government by searching their name in the 2002 voter roll. They can call their respective BLOs, all their numbers are available on the District Collector’s website, and inform them.” Kalaskar also informed that 30 contacts of all Pune BLOs can be accessed at the link https://pune.gov.in/en/document/list-of-blos-of-pune-district/Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:PMC