Andhra Pradesh issues Urban Local Body election rules, allowing direct election of Mayors and Chairpersons. Reservation exercise in 59 ULBs begins September 8.
Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government has issued statutory rules and orders governing the conduct of ordinary elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the State, covering Mayors, Chairpersons, Ward Members, Deputy Mayors and Vice-Chairpersons.
The government has also notified a schedule for the identification of SC, ST, BC and women voters for reservation purposes in 59 Urban Local Bodies.
Under the amended municipal laws, Mayors of Municipal Corporations and Chairpersons of Municipalities and Nagar Panchayats will be elected directly by voters whose names appear in the electoral rolls of the respective Urban Local Body.
This replaces the earlier system under which Mayors and Chairpersons were elected indirectly by elected members and eligible ex-officio members.
Voters will now separately elect their Ward Member and the Mayor or Chairperson representing the entire Urban Local Body.
The directly elected Mayor or Chairperson will have a five-year term and will become a member of the respective Corporation or Municipality by virtue of office.
The rules notified by the government lay down the complete statutory procedure for elections to the posts of Mayor, Chairperson and Ward Member.
The framework covers:
For Municipalities and Nagar Panchayats, the election programme will specify the dates for nominations, scrutiny, withdrawal, polling and counting.
Polling will be held not earlier than the seventh day after the last date for withdrawal of candidature.
The revised statutory framework provides for one Deputy Mayor in each Municipal Corporation and one Vice-Chairperson in each Municipality or Nagar Panchayat.
This replaces the earlier provision for two Deputy Mayors and two Vice-Chairpersons.
The number and statutory role of elected Ward Members will remain unchanged.
Unlike Mayors and Chairpersons, Deputy Mayors and Vice-Chairpersons will continue to be elected indirectly by eligible elected and ex-officio members of the respective Corporation or Council.
A special meeting for the election of a Deputy Mayor must be held within 15 days of the first meeting of the Corporation, with at least three clear days' notice to members entitled to vote.
The rules also prescribe procedures relating to quorum, nomination of candidates, party authorisation, voting by show of hands, declaration of results and party-whip provisions.
If only one candidate is validly proposed, the candidate will be declared elected. Where two or more candidates contest, the candidate securing the highest number of votes will be declared elected.
The government has approved a 14-day exercise from September 8 to September 21, 2026, to identify SC, ST, BC and women voters in 59 Urban Local Bodies for the purpose of determining reservations.
The exercise covers Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation and 58 Municipalities/Nagar Panchayats.
DateActivitySeptember 8-12
Door-to-door identification of SC, ST and BC votersSeptember 13
Preparation of marked electoral roll copiesSeptember 14
Publication of draft electoral rollsSeptember 15-17
Receipt of claims and objectionsSeptember 18
Sorting of claims and objections; deployment and training of verification officersSeptember 19-20
Field verification and disposal of claims and objectionsSeptember 21
Publication and submission of final category-wise electoral rolls
The Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration, District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners concerned have been directed to complete the exercise within the prescribed timelines.
Meanwhile, the electoral-roll process has been taken up on priority in 41 Urban Local Bodies following recent High Court orders relating to delimitation.
The government expects publication of electoral rolls in these ULBs within a week. Reservation and other election-related processes will subsequently be taken forward according to the prescribed procedure.
In another 23 Urban Local Bodies, proceedings relating to Act 5 are pending before the High Court.
Further action on delimitation, electoral rolls and the consequential election process in these ULBs will be initiated immediately after the High Court passes orders.
The Urban Local Body elections will continue to be conducted under the superintendence, direction and control of the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission.
District Election Authorities, Election Officers, Returning Officers and other designated officials will perform their respective duties under the relevant Acts, Rules and directions of the Commission.
Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Ponguru Narayana said the orders issued by the government provide the necessary statutory framework to move forward with the Urban Local Body election process.
He directed officials to ensure that all preparatory activities are completed within the prescribed timelines.
S. Suresh Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government, MA&UD Department, said the Department is coordinating with the Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration, District Collectors, Municipal Commissioners and the State Election Commission.
He said efforts are being made to ensure timely completion of electoral rolls, reservation-related exercises and other statutory processes.
With the issuance of the election rules and reservation schedule, the Andhra Pradesh government has formally initiated the statutory and administrative processes required for the conduct of ordinary elections to Urban Local Bodies in the State.
