The Visakhapatnam district administration is completing preparations for the upcoming Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) elections scheduled for November 3, 2026. District Collector and Election Officer M. Abhishikth Kishore said arrangements are being made to ensure that the elections are conducted in a free, fair and peaceful manner.

According to The Hans India, elections will be held for four ZPTC seats and 53 MPTC seats in the district. The election notification was issued on October 19, and the nomination process is scheduled to begin on October 21.

 

Election schedule and nomination process

The district administration has announced the following key dates for the rural local body elections:

• October 19: Election notification issued.

• October 21–23: Filing of nomination papers.

• October 24: Scrutiny of nominations.

• November 3: Polling.

• November 5: Counting of votes and declaration of results.

Candidates contesting ZPTC seats must submit their nomination papers at the Returning Officer's chambers at the Zilla Parishad office. MPTC candidates must file their nominations at the designated Returning Officer's chambers in their respective Mandal Parishad offices.

 

203 polling stations and 1,462 personnel

To facilitate the election process, the administration has divided the district into 16 zones. A total of 203 polling stations are being arranged across 106 locations, while 1,462 personnel have been assigned election duties.

Authorities have also identified 25 routes for transporting polling equipment to the designated locations. These arrangements are intended to support the timely movement of election materials and personnel.

Monitoring teams to enforce election rules

The administration has constituted monitoring teams to ensure compliance with the Model Code of Conduct and election expenditure regulations. The arrangements include four teams of Model Code of Conduct monitoring personnel, flying squads and static surveillance teams, along with two video-viewing teams, five election expenditure verification teams and five single-window clearance teams.

The Election Commission has fixed the expenditure limit at ₹4 lakh for MPTC candidates and ₹8 lakh for ZPTC candidates. District Collector Abhishikth Kishore has urged candidates, election officials and political party representatives to follow the prescribed guidelines and cooperate with the administration to ensure a transparent and peaceful polling process.

 

The upcoming elections will determine representation in rural local governance bodies across the district. With nomination filing set to begin on October 21, the administration is focusing on election preparedness, expenditure monitoring and the deployment of personnel ahead of polling day.