Local Body Polls to Be Held After SC Verdict: SEC
Punetha held a video conference with district collectors, SPs, municipal commissioners, ZP chief executive officers, district panchayat officers and others to review preparations for the elections.
Vijayawada:Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha said on Thursday that the State Election Commission was awaiting the Supreme Court verdict before announcing the schedule for local body elections.
Punetha held a video conference with district collectors, SPs, municipal commissioners, ZP chief executive officers, district panchayat officers and others to review preparations for the elections.
He said the commission was ready to conduct the local body elections and had been preparing for them for the past two months. The elections would be conducted using ballot papers and not EVMs, while ballot boxes had already been readied for the respective local bodies.
He said the elections would be held based on photo electoral rolls finalised up to February 5, 2026, and in phases after the state government finalised reservations in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling.
The State Election Commissioner instructed officials to identify sensitive and very sensitive polling stations and take stringent measures to ensure the elections were conducted properly. He stressed the importance of following the statutory election process and completing it within 15 days under the provisions of the Panchayat Raj and Municipal Acts.
He also said a printing press for ballot papers would be finalised.