Eight civic bodies in North Andhra ready for polls on Nov 1

Eight civic bodies in the three North Andhra districts of Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Parvatipuram-Manyam are ready for elections on Sunday (November 1, 2026). Despite inclement weather, officials expect a decent turnout and are hopeful of clear skies on Sunday.

Senior officials, including Vizianagaram Collector S. Ramsundar Reddy and election observer and senior IAS officer Tej Bharat, have been making elaborate arrangements for the municipal elections in Vizianagaram, Nellimarla and Bobbili. They have directed polling officials and staff to reach their designated polling stations as early as possible to ensure foolproof arrangements.

In Vizianagaram municipal corporation, 2.23 lakh people will vote at 229 polling stations across 62 divisions. A total of 1,649 polling officials and staff will oversee the process. Seven candidates are in the fray for the mayoral post, and nearly 220 are contesting as corporators in the 62 divisions.

Bobbili, another historic town in the district, is also ready. A total of 497 officials and employees will monitor the election at 69 polling stations. In Nellimarla, adjacent to Vizianagaram, 173 polling staff will oversee voting at 24 booths. Meanwhile, political parties are busy distributing voters’ slips to people in various wards of the three towns.

The NDA partners, the TDP, the JSP and the BJP, are striving for victory in all three. The YSRCP, which won all three civic bodies in the 2021 local body elections, is keen to repeat the feat despite several challenges, including the desertion of top leaders to other parties.

In Srikakulam district, the administration has made arrangements for elections in Palasa and Ichchapuram, both badly affected by Cyclone Arnab.

Elections will also be held in Saluru, Parvatipuram and Palakonda in Parvatipuram-Manyam district. Collector N. Prabhakar Reddy said the police, revenue and other departments had taken adequate care to ensure smooth polling in the district’s hilly areas.