Andhra Pradesh heads to the ballot box today, Thursday, 5 November 2026, as polling opens for the state’s Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) elections. More than 2.61 crore rural voters are eligible to vote, making this one of the largest local body elections in the country this year.
The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission has said arrangements are in place across the state, with polling scheduled for 582 ZPTC seats and 7,767 MPTC seats. Counting of votes will take place on Saturday, 7 November, at 365 centres across Andhra Pradesh.
For voters in rural Andhra Pradesh, this election decides who runs the second and third tiers of local government. ZPTC members sit on the zilla parishad, the district level body, while MPTC members form the mandal parishad, the block level body that deals with everyday issues from village roads and drinking water to schools, health centres and rural development works.
2.61 crore voters, 31,460 polling stations
The scale of the exercise is huge. According to the State Election Commission, the total electorate stands at 2,61,52,377 voters. Women voters outnumber men on the rolls, with 1,32,74,208 women, 1,28,76,887 men and 1,282 voters in the other category.
The commission has set up 31,460 polling stations, deployed 2.52 lakh personnel for polling and 52,000 for counting, and arranged 1,01,618 ballot boxes. Voting is on ballot paper, not electronic voting machines.
Security has been a key focus. The commission has identified 8,904 polling stations as sensitive and 7,160 as hypersensitive. Police and election officials have been asked to keep a close watch on these booths through the day, with webcasting in place at many locations.
Who is contesting, and what is already decided
A total of 21,012 candidates are in the fray across the two tiers. For the ZPTC seats, 2,169 candidates are contesting the 582 seats going to polls, while 18,843 candidates are contesting the 7,767 MPTC seats.
Not every seat will see a contest today. Of the 659 ZPTC seats in total, 77 candidates have already been elected unanimously. Similarly, of the 9,821 MPTC seats, 2,051 candidates were declared elected unopposed. Three MPTC seats will not go to polls at all, after no nominations were received for two seats in YSR Kadapa district and nominations were rejected in one seat in Nandyal district.
Palnadu district has recorded the highest number of unanimous MPTC elections at 382, followed by YSR Kadapa with 350. In the ZPTC category, YSR Kadapa leads with 23 unanimous seats, followed by Palnadu with 18.
What officials said before polling day
State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha reviewed the arrangements with district collectors and superintendents of police on Wednesday. He said that with rainfall subsiding, there were no major obstacles to conducting polling in most parts of the state.
State Election Commission secretary A. Mallikarjuna said the deployment of staff, ballot boxes and security arrangements had been completed in advance so that polling could begin smoothly on Thursday morning.
District arrangements mirror the state picture. In Eluru, polling covers 27 ZPTC and 454 MPTC seats for 12,96,515 voters at 1,555 stations, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. In Tirupati, over 12.54 lakh voters vote for 31 ZPTC and 307 MPTC seats, with webcasting at every station.
Why these elections matter
Though they rarely grab national headlines like Assembly or Lok Sabha polls, MPTC and ZPTC elections shape daily governance in rural Andhra Pradesh. The members elected today will influence decisions on rural roads, water supply, sanitation, primary health and education infrastructure, and the implementation of state and central schemes at the grassroots.
The results on 7 November will also be read as a political signal, reflecting party strength in rural areas where local issues matter most.
For now, though, the focus is on polling itself. Officials have urged voters to check their polling station in advance, carry a valid identity document, and vote early to avoid last hour queues.
Key dates at a glance
- Polling day: Thursday, 5 November 2026
- Counting of votes: Saturday, 7 November 2026, at 365 centres
- Seats going to polls: 582 ZPTC seats and 7,767 MPTC seats
- Total voters: 2,61,52,377, including 1,32,74,208 women voters
- Polling stations: 31,460, including 8,904 sensitive and 7,160 hypersensitive booths
FAQs
When are the Andhra Pradesh MPTC and ZPTC elections being held?
Polling is being held on Thursday, 5 November 2026, with counting of votes scheduled for Saturday, 7 November 2026.
How many voters are eligible in the AP MPTC, ZPTC polls?
A total of 2,61,52,377 voters are eligible, including 1,32,74,208 women, 1,28,76,887 men and 1,282 voters in the other category.
How many seats are going to polls?
Polling is being held for 582 ZPTC seats and 7,767 MPTC seats. Another 77 ZPTC and 2,051 MPTC candidates have already been elected unanimously.
How many candidates are contesting?
A total of 21,012 candidates are in the fray, comprising 2,169 ZPTC candidates and 18,843 MPTC candidates.
When will the results be declared?
Counting will take place on 7 November at 365 centres, with results for each seat declared as its count is completed.
Results on Saturday will decide who runs the state’s rural local bodies for the next term.
