SEC sets ball rolling for Gram Panchayat polls
Ward-wise photo electoral rolls to be prepared across Andhra Pradesh
Vijayawada: With the five-year tenure of Gram Panchayat bodies in the state scheduled to expire by the end of March, the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (APSEC) has formally initiated the groundwork for conducting ordinary Gram Panchayat elections, setting in motion a process that will directly impact village-level governance. In a significant development, State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nilam Sawhney has issued a circular directing all District Panchayat Officers (DPOs) to begin preparing ward-wise photo electoral rolls for all Gram Panchayats across the state.
The move is widely seen as the first concrete administrative step toward the conduct of rural local body elections.
According to the notification, the electoral rolls will be prepared by adopting the existing Assembly electoral rolls, with January 1, 2026 fixed as the qualifying date. This means that voters who attain the age of 18 on or before this date will be eligible to participate in the forthcoming Gram Panchayat elections, a factor expected to bring a sizeable number of first-time voters into the rural electoral process.
The Commission has also directed that ward divisions must be clearly reflected in the rolls, as mandated under the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj (Preparation and Publication of Electoral Rolls) Rules, 2000. This aspect assumes significance as ward demarcations often influence local political equations, representation of habitations, and reservation patterns for women and marginalised sections. The draft Gram Panchayat Photo Electoral Rolls in Form-I are scheduled to be published on March 9, providing villagers an opportunity to verify their names, seek corrections, and raise objections. Election officials note that this stage is crucial to ensure error-free voter lists, which remain a recurring concern in rural elections.
Copies of the circular have been sent to all MPDOs, Deputy MPDOs, Divisional Panchayat Officers, Panchayat Raj Department officials, and District Collectors, directing them to ensure strict adherence to timelines and procedural guidelines. Field-level officials are expected to play a key role in creating awareness among villagers about voter inclusion, corrections, and ward mapping.
The notification, issued under Article 243K of the Constitution of India, read with relevant provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, underscores the constitutional responsibility of the State Election Commission to supervise and control the entire election process for local bodies, independent of the government machinery. The SEC has also indicated that detailed procedural instructions will be issued shortly to streamline the preparation and publication of electoral rolls at the grassroots level.
With the electoral roll exercise now underway, political activity is expected to pick up pace across villages, as aspiring candidates begin assessing voter strength, ward composition, and reservation prospects. For rural voters, the exercise assumes added importance as Gram Panchayats play a pivotal role in the delivery of welfare schemes, development works, and local dispute resolution.
As the state moves closer to the Gram Panchayat polls, the accuracy of voter rolls and clarity in ward divisions are likely to shape not only the credibility of the elections, but also the future leadership of village governance across the state.
