Andhra Pradesh SEC notifies MPTC, ZPTC polls for November 3; 2.81 crore voters eligible
Synopsis
Andhra Pradesh's State Election Commission has set 3 November as polling day for nearly 10,500 MPTC and ZPTC seats, with 2.81 crore voters eligible — one of the state's biggest local-body contests. A separate alert: Mydukur municipality polls have already been derailed by pre-poll violence, raising questions about the law-and-order environment ahead of the broader civic exercise.
Key Takeaways
Andhra Pradesh SEC issued the official poll notification on 19 October 2026 for MPTC and ZPTC elections on 3 November .
2.81 crore voters are eligible across 659 ZPTCs and 9,829 MPTCs in 28 Zilla Praja Parishads .
Nomination filing opens 21 October ; last date for withdrawal is 27 October ; counting is on 5 November .
Expenditure limits set at ₹4 lakh for MPTC and ₹8 lakh for ZPTC candidates.
9,966 polling stations classified as sensitive and 9,186 as hyper sensitive.
Mydukur municipality polls in YSR Kadapa district postponed after nomination papers were torn in pre-poll violence.
The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) on Monday, 19 October 2026, issued the official notification for elections to Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs), scheduled to be held on 3 November. An estimated 2.81 crore voters across the state are eligible to participate in what is one of the largest local-body exercises in Andhra Pradesh in recent years.
Seats Going to the Polls
State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha told reporters that elections will be conducted across 28 Zilla Praja Parishads. Of the total 663 ZPTCs in the state, polling will be held for 659 ZPTCs. On the MPTC front, 9,829 out of 9,858 constituencies will go to the polls.
Key Dates and Nomination Schedule
Filing of nominations will commence on 21 October, with the last date for receipt of nominations set as 23 October. Scrutiny of nominations is scheduled for 24 October, and candidates may appeal against rejection before the concerned Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) — in the case of MPTCs — or the District Collector — in the case of ZPTCs — on 25 October. Appellate authorities are required to dispose of such appeals the following day.
The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is 27 October, the same day on which a final list of confirmed candidates will be published. Should repolling be required anywhere, it will be held on 4 November. Counting of votes is scheduled for 5 November.
Expenditure Limits and Deployment
The SEC has fixed the election expenditure cap at ₹4 lakh for MPTC candidates and ₹8 lakh for ZPTC candidates. To manage the exercise, the Commission has appointed 28 returning officers for ZPTCs and 687 returning officers for MPTCs, supported by 1,374 additional returning officers.
A total of 35,333 presiding officers will be deployed across an equal number of polling booths, with 1,41,332 additional polling staff on duty. The SEC has classified 9,966 polling stations as sensitive and 9,186 as hyper sensitive, signalling significant security planning ahead of polling day.
Mydukur Municipality Polls Postponed
In a notable development, the SEC has postponed elections to Mydukur municipality in YSR Kadapa district after nomination papers were reportedly torn during pre-poll violence, making their scrutiny difficult. Commissioner Punetha confirmed that the decision was taken on the basis of a report from the District Collector, and a fresh polling date will be announced separately.
This comes amid a broader local-body election cycle in Andhra Pradesh: polling for 100 urban local bodies in the state is already scheduled for 28 October, making November 3 the second major date in a fortnight of civic polls. With nearly three crore voters set to exercise their franchise across thousands of constituencies, the logistics and security arrangements represent a substantial administrative undertaking for the state machinery.
Point of View
500 constituencies, 2.81 crore voters, and close to 1.77 lakh polling staff — underscores that local-body elections in Andhra Pradesh are logistically comparable to a mid-sized state assembly contest. What the notification does not address is how the Commission plans to prevent a repeat of the Mydukur violence, where pre-poll intimidation was severe enough to physically destroy nomination papers — an unusually brazen incident. With 9,186 hyper-sensitive booths identified, the security calculus is already stretched. The real test is whether the administration can guarantee a free environment not just on polling day but during the nomination window, where competitive local politics tends to be most volatile.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the Andhra Pradesh MPTC and ZPTC elections scheduled?
The Andhra Pradesh MPTC and ZPTC elections are scheduled for 3 November 2026, as per the notification issued by the State Election Commission on 19 October. Repolling, if required, will be held on 4 November, and counting is set for 5 November.
How many voters are eligible for the MPTC and ZPTC polls in Andhra Pradesh?
Approximately 2.81 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes in the MPTC and ZPTC elections across 28 Zilla Praja Parishads. A total of 659 ZPTCs and 9,829 MPTCs will go to the polls.
What are the key dates for nomination filing and withdrawal?
Nomination filing begins on 21 October and the last date for receipt of nominations is 23 October. Scrutiny is on 24 October, appeals can be filed on 25 October, and the final date for withdrawal of candidatures is 27 October.
Why have the Mydukur municipality polls been postponed?
The Mydukur municipality polls in YSR Kadapa district have been postponed because nomination papers were reportedly torn during pre-poll violence, making scrutiny difficult. State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha said the decision was based on a District Collector's report, and a fresh date will be announced later.
What is the election expenditure limit for MPTC and ZPTC candidates?
The SEC has set a spending cap of ₹4 lakh for MPTC candidates and ₹8 lakh for ZPTC candidates. These limits are part of the official notification issued on 19 October 2026.
