Indirect elections to MPP, ZP leadership posts on November 19 and 20

State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha. | Photo Credit: File photo

The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) has notified indirect elections to the leadership posts of 659 Mandal Praja Parishads (MPPs) and 28 Zilla Praja Parishads (ZPPs). Elections to MPP presidents and vice-presidents will be held on November 19, while ZP chairpersons and vice-chairpersons will be elected on November 20.

The notifications, issued on Tuesday, also provide for the election of co-opted members to the respective bodies.

State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha said in a statement on Tuesday that the elections would follow the completion of polling to Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs), and the declaration of results on November 7. Polling in five mandals was postponed to November 6 due to cyclone-related conditions. Repolling was subsequently held at seven polling stations in five districts following complaints of electoral irregularities.

Elected MPTC members will elect the MPP president and vice-president from among themselves, while elected ZPTC members will choose the ZP chairperson and vice-chairperson.

Each MPP will have one co-opted member and each ZPP two. The co-opted members, who must belong to religious or linguistic minority communities, will be elected before the leadership posts are filled. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis are recognised as religious minorities, while those whose mother tongue is not Telugu are considered linguistic minorities.

The elections to the leadership posts will be conducted through a show of hands. Recognised political parties can issue whips to their members, who are required to abide by them. However, party whips will not apply to the election of co-opted members.

Members of Parliament, MLCs and MLAs who are ex-officio members of the respective parishads will be invited to attend the special meetings but will not have voting rights.

The SEC said notices convening the special meetings would be served on elected MPTC and ZPTC members by November 14.

Published - November 10, 2026 07:18 pm IST