Pune civic body sets up cell for caste certificates

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has set up a special cell for accepting applications for caste validity certificates for those intending to contest the civic body polls in February 2012.
The state election authorities have made it clear that the nomination forms of candidates contesting on reserved seats would not accepted unless accompanied by caste validity certificates.

The reservation for scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) is in proportion to their population in the city. For other backward castes (OBC), the seats reserved would be 39. The total number of seats is 144.

Deputy municipal commissioner, Praveen Ashtikar, said the special cell would start working from Thursday. Applications received by the cell would be forwarded to authorities concerned for issuing the certificates. Those interested in contesting the election should file their application with the cell.

The SC and OBC candidates have to get the application forms in proper format from the office of divisional social welfare officer, divisional caste certificate validity committee, PMT Building, Swargate. Candidates belonging to ST category have to get application forms from the office of vice-president, scheduled tribes caste certificate validity committee, 38 Queen’s Garden, Pune - 1.

The cell has been set up at the public relations office of the PMC and public relations officer Sanjay More is in-charge.