Amaravati, Nov 2026 : Polling was underway across 92 urban local bodies (ULBs) in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday amid tight security, with nearly 99.35 lakh voters eligible to decide the electoral fate of 10,262 candidates contesting various mayoral, chairperson and ward-level posts.
According to State Election Commission (SEC) officials, voting began at 7 a.m. at 11,378 polling stations spread across 13 municipal corporations and 79 of the state's 87 municipalities and Nagar Panchayats. Polling will continue until 5 p.m.
Elections for the chairperson posts in 17 municipalities and Nagar Panchayats were declared unanimous. In eight of these urban bodies — Allagadda, Dachepalli, Darsi, Gurajala, Kamalapuram, Piduguralla, Proddatur and Rayachoti — both chairpersons and ward members were elected unopposed. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured these positions.
A total of 153 candidates are contesting for mayoral posts in the 13 municipal corporations, while 367 candidates are in the fray for chairperson positions in 70 municipalities.
Of the 922 corporator wards across municipal corporations, polling is being held in 804, while candidates were elected unopposed in the remaining 118 wards. As many as 3,077 candidates are contesting in the 804 wards. Voting is also being conducted for mayoral posts in all 13 corporations, including those where some corporator seats were decided unanimously.
In municipalities and Nagar Panchayats, 6,669 candidates are contesting for 2,382 ward positions.
The total electorate comprises 59,97,918 voters in municipal corporations and 39,38,096 voters in municipalities and Nagar Panchayats.
The SEC has deployed 84,815 presiding officers and other polling personnel to conduct the elections. In addition, 3,720 micro-observers have been appointed to monitor the polling process and ensure compliance with election procedures.
Webcasting arrangements have been made at 1,835 polling stations, with a webcasting expert deployed at each centre. The election authorities have also installed 12,666 CCTV cameras as part of measures to ensure free, fair and peaceful polling.
The municipal elections are witnessing a direct contest between the ruling NDA, comprising the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party (JSP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).
The NDA is seeking a fresh mandate on the basis of its development initiatives and welfare schemes implemented over the last two-and-a-half years. The YSRCP, meanwhile, has sought to highlight what it describes as the failures of the ruling coalition.
The ruling alliance is aiming to replicate its performance in the 2024 general elections, while the YSRCP is attempting to regain political ground following its defeat in the Assembly polls.
As part of seat-sharing arrangements among NDA partners, the mayoral posts of the Greater Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada municipal corporations have been allotted to the TDP and Jana Sena Party, respectively.
The elections were initially scheduled for October 28 but were postponed following directions from the Supreme Court after incidents of violence prevented several candidates from filing their nominations.
Counting of votes is scheduled for November 3, when the results will indicate the political standing of the ruling alliance and the opposition across Andhra Pradesh's urban local bodies.
