Andhra Pradesh Municipal polls to be conducted on March 10

Elections to 12 Municipal Corporations and 75 Municipalities in Andhra Pradesh will be conducted on March 10, said the state's Election Commissioner on Monday.

Andhra Pradesh Election Commission issued a notification for the conduct of ordinary elections in 12 Municipal Corporations and 75 Municipalities in the State. The date issued for polls is March 10, and counting will be held on March 14, 2021. The model Code of Conduct will come into action from Monday.

The process of these elections was stopped midway in March 2020 citing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar has decided to complete those elections.

"The election process was completed up to the stage of 'Scrutiny of Nominations' on March 14, 2020. The Commission stopped the election process midway on March 15, 2020, due to the threat of COVID-19 for a period of six weeks and issued further orders on May 06, 2020, continuing the postponement of paused election process until further orders," read the press note from the state election commission.

The Election Commission reviewed the situation and decided, the situation is conducive for the conduct of the election of local bodies and recently notified the ordinary elections to Gram Panchayats in the State, which are underway.

"The Commission further decided to resume the paused election process of Urban Local Bodies from the stage where it was stopped on March 15, 2020. Accordingly, the Commission issued Notifications on February 15, 2021, to continue the election process from the stage of 'Withdrawal of Candidature' in respect of 12 Municipal Corporations and 75 Municipalities or Nagar Panchayats," read the note.

The postponement of these elections last year has lead to disputes between the Socio-Economic Classification (SEC) and Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) lead government in the state.

After many turns and twists, the election process for municipal corporations, municipalities, and Nagar panchayats is started on Monday. The election process for Mandal Parishads and Zilla Parishads is still due.

( With inputs from ANI )