AP MPTC, ZPTC Polling May Be Postponed

The polling for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTC) in AP may be postponed by two days, from November 3 to November 5. The State Election Commission (SEC) is expected to take a decision on the proposal within the next one or two days. Following the Supreme Court’s directions, the SEC has already postponed polling in 100 urban local bodies from October 28 to November 1, with vote counting scheduled for November 3. Conducting municipal vote counting and MPTC–ZPTC polling on the same day could create logistical challenges, particularly in deploying police personnel and election staff.

Further Discussions on Supreme Court Orders

The State Election Commission reviewed the matter on Thursday, with senior police officials also reportedly favouring November 5 for the MPTC and ZPTC polling. SEC Poonetha held extensive consultations with legal experts and election officials in light of the Supreme Court’s orders concerning urban local body elections. Discussions continued from 9 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. The SEC also held a series of meetings with the commission’s standing counsel Ashwini Kumar, IG Rajakumari, Election Commission Secretary Mallikarjuna and other officials to examine reports submitted by district collectors and superintendents of police. The discussions focused on which municipal corporations and municipalities should reopen nominations in certain divisions and wards, as well as the procedures to be followed. Poonetha issued an official announcement at around 9:50 p.m. The final decision on postponing the MPTC and ZPTC polling is awaited.