12 corporations, 75 municipalities to go to polls on March 10

The State Election Commission issued a notification on Monday to ‘continue the election process’, from the ‘stage of withdrawal’, in respect of 12 municipal corporations and 75 municipalities/ nagara panchayats in the State. According to the election schedule released by the SEC, elections will be held for all urban local bodies (ULBs) on March 10.

According to a press release by the State Election Commissioner, Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, the election process set in motion on March 9, 2020 for conduct of ordinary elections to ULBs, had been completed up to the stage of scrutiny of nominations on March 14, 2020. The commission had stopped the process midway due to threat of COVID-19 for a period of six weeks and issued further orders on May 6, 2020 postponing the process until further orders. The latest notification is for resuming the process from the stage where it was stopped.

According to the latest election schedule, candidates can withdraw their nominations on or before March 3. On the same day, the list of contesting candidates will be published.

Elections to all ULBs will simultaneously take place on March 10, and votes counted on March 14.

The model code of conduct would come into force on Monday and remain in force until the completion of the election process.

The municipal corporations of Vizianagaram, Greater Visakhapatnam, Eluru, Vijayawada, Machilipatnam, Guntur, Ongole, Chittoor, Tirupathi, Kadapa, Kurnool, and Anantapur would go to polls on same day.

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Schedule

Commencement of withdrawal of candidature – March 2

Last date for withdrawal – March 3

Publication of candidates’ list March 3

Polling – March 10

Re-poll, if any – March 13

Counting – March 14