2 Kakinada Wards Again Excluded From Civic Polls
More than 12,000 voters in Madhuranagar and Swamy Nagar have been unable to elect local representatives for nearly 15 years due to a pending merger dispute.
Two areas previously covered by wards 42 and 48 — Madhuranagar (S. Atchutapuram) and Swamy Nagar — have again been excluded from the Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections notified on Thursday.
Elections have not been held in these areas for nearly 15 years, leaving more than 12,000 voters without an opportunity to elect local representatives.
In 2013, when Andhra Pradesh had been undivided, the government issued an order to merge these villages with the KMC, along with Indrapalem, Cheediga, Turangi, Valasapakala, and Vakalapudi. The then collector handed over the panchayat records of Madhuranagar and Swamy Nagar, announcing their merger with the corporation under wards 42 and 48.
However, some residents approached the court, seeking to prevent the merger. The merger process has since been held up, with Madhuranagar and Swamy Nagar not being formally declared as part of the KMC.
However, residents of the two areas have been paying taxes to the corporation, which undertakes development works, including sanitation and drainage, in the areas. During emergencies, engineering works are also being taken up.
Residents of Madhuranagar and Swamy Nagar have been frequently demanding that elections be held in their areas. The two wards were excluded from the 2017 KMC elections as well.
In the interim, the number of divisions in KMC has increased from 50 to 66. Officials did not include the areas covered by Madhuranagar and Swamy Nagar in the revised divisions, citing pending court cases.