Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Andhra Pradesh Issues Rules for Direct Urban Local Body Elections
Andhra Pradesh has made new rules for elections in cities and towns.
People will now vote directly for the mayor or chairperson of their local body.
They will also vote separately for their ward member.
The mayor or chairperson will serve for five years.
Each local body will have one deputy mayor or vice chairperson instead of two.
These deputies will still be chosen indirectly by elected members.
The rules explain how nominations, voting, counting, and results will work.
Officials will also identify voters from reserved categories in 59 urban local bodies.
Andhra Pradesh has issued statutory rules for urban local body elections across the state.
Voters will directly elect mayors or chairpersons as well as ward members.
Mayors and chairpersons will serve five-year terms and become members of their respective local bodies.
The number of deputy mayors and vice chairpersons has been reduced from two to one.
A 14-day process will identify reserved-category voters in 59 urban local bodies from September 8 to September 21.
- Who
- The Andhra Pradesh government, State Election Commission, collectors, municipal officials, and voters are involved.
- What
- The government issued statutory rules for modified urban local body elections, including direct elections for mayors and chairpersons.
- When
- The rules were issued on Saturday; reservation-related voter identification is scheduled from September 8 to September 21.
- Where
- Across Andhra Pradesh, including 59 specified urban local bodies.
- Why
- To establish the electoral procedures and prepare reservation-related rolls for upcoming urban local body elections.
- Direct elections
- Voters will separately elect ward members and the mayor or chairperson.
- Term
- Directly elected mayors and chairpersons will serve five years.
- Deputy posts
- Each municipal corporation, municipality, or nagar panchayat will have one deputy mayor or vice chairperson instead of two.
- Deputy election method
- Deputy mayors and vice chairpersons will be elected indirectly by eligible elected and ex-officio members.
- Reservation exercise
- A 14-day process for identifying SC, ST, BC, and women voters will run from September 8 to September 21 in 59 ULBs.
- Delimitation-affected ULBs
- Electoral rolls in 41 ULBs are expected to be published within a week.
- Pending court cases
- Further action in 23 ULBs will follow court orders concerning Act 5.