A.P. government appoints special officers to ULBs

The A.P. government on Tuesday (March 10) issued a government order for the appointment of special officers in 86 urban local bodies (ULBs), where the term of elected representatives is coming to an end.

There are a total of 123 ULBs in the State. In 2021, the municipal elections were held in two phases, one in March and another in November. While 87 ULBs went for polls in March, 13 went for polls in November. Except for Eluru, where the elected body’s term will complete by July 2026, the term of the elected bodies of 86 ULBs will be coming to an end on March 17, 2026. The term of the 13 ULBs will be coming to an end on November 22, 2026. In the remaining 23 ULBs, elections are pending due to legal impediments.

In view of the Census-2027, which will be conducted across the country between April and September, 2026, elections for the ULBs will be delayed. According to the G.O.RT.No. 284, the special officers will be in charge of the ULBs for six months or until the elections for the ULBs are conducted, whichever is earlier.

Out of 86 poll-bound ULBs, there are 11 municipal corporations and 75 municipalities/nagar panchayats. The 11 municipal corporations include Kadapa, Chittoor, Kurnool, Anantapur, Tiripati, Ongole, Guntur, Vijayawada, Machilipatnam, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram. District Collectors have been appointed the special officers for all the municipal corporations, in accordance to the A.P. Municipal Corporations Act, 1994.

For the municipalities, joint collectors, revenue divisional officers, special deputy collectors and others have been appointed as the special officers, in accordance to the A.P. Municipalities Act, 1965.