Gazette No 623: MA&UD Department – Municipal Acts - The Andhra Pradesh Municipal Corporations Conduct ‎of Election Of Deputy Mayor, Election Rules, 2026 – Notification – Orders – Issued.‎

Registered No. HSE-49/2016 P age | 1 PART I EXTRAORDINARY No.498 AMARAVATI, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2026 G.623 NOTIFICATIONS BY GOVERNMENT --x-- MA&UD Department – Municipal Acts - The Andhra Pradesh Municipal Corporations Conduct of Election Of Deputy Mayor, Election Rules, 2026 – Notification – Orders – Issued.

================================================== [G.O.Ms.No 212, MA & UD (G) Department, Dated: 05.09.2026]

NOTIFICATION In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 585 read with

Section 90 of The Municipal Corporations Act, 1955 (Act II of 1956), Sections 7 and 11 of the Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Act, 1979 (Act No.XIX of 1979), Section 7 of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Act, 1981 (Act No. XXIII of 1981) and Sections 14 and 18 of the Andhra Pradesh Municipal Corporations Act, 1994 (Act No.XXV of

1994), and in supersession of all the existing rules on the subject, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, hereby, makes the following rules relating to conduct of election of Deputy Mayor of Municipal Corporation.

PART- I

1. Short title and Applicability:–

(1) These Rules may be called 'The Andhra Pradesh Municipal Corporations Conduct of Election of Deputy Mayor Rules, 2026.

(2) These rules shall apply to all Municipal Corporations in the State with immediate effect.

2. Definitions: – In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires:

(i) "Act" means The Municipal Corporations Act, 1955 (Act II of 1956);

(ii) "Election Authority" means such officer or authority as may be appointed by the State Election Commission under clause (15-a) of Section 2;

(iii) "Form" means the Form appended to these Rules;P age | 2

(iv) "Section" means a section of the Act; and

(v) Words and expressions used but not defined in these rules shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Act.

3. Powers of Election Authority:– Subject to the general superintendence, direction and control of the State Election Commission, the Election Authority shall be responsible for the conduct of elections of the Deputy Mayor.

PART II ELECTION OF DEPUTY MAYOR OF MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

4. Convening of Special Meeting for Election of Deputy Mayor:–( 1) A special meeting of the members of Municipal Corporation specified in sub-sections (1) and (1A) of Section 5 of the Act, who are entitled to vote shall be held in the office of the Municipal Corporation or at any other convenient place within the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation with in Fifteen (15) days of the First meeting of the Corporation by the Mayor as authorized by the Election Authority in this behalf in Form I for the election of Deputy Mayor in the manner laid down hereafter.

(2) Notice of the date and hour of such meeting shall be given in Form-II only to the members specified in sub-sections (1) and (1A) of Section 5 of the Act, who are entitled to vote at least three clear days in advance of the date of the meeting fixed for the election of the Deputy Mayor by the Mayor as authorized by the Election Authority.

5. Quorum: – (1) The members of Municipal Corporation specified in sub-sections (1) and (1A) of Section 5 of the Act, who are entitled to vote shall only present in this special meeting.

(2) No meeting for the conduct of election of Deputy Mayor shall be held unless there be present at the meeting at least one-half of the number of members then on the Corporation, who are entitled to vote at the election within one hour from the time

appointed for the meeting:

Provided that where at an election held for the purpose, the Deputy Mayor is not elected, a fresh election shall be held on the next day whether or not it is a public holiday for the Corporation concerned and where the Deputy Mayor could not be elected on the next day also, the matter shall be reported to the State Election Commission for fixing another date for holding election.

Provided further, that where the Election of Deputy Mayor could not be conducted in the first two special meetings, convened for the purpose for want of quorum, Deputy Mayor shall be elected in the subsequent meeting/meetings convened for the purpose from among the members present without insisting for quorum.

Explanation: – For the purpose of this rule, it is hereby clarified that in determination of one-half of the members under this rule, any fraction below 0.5 should be ignored and any fraction of 0.5 or above shall be taken as one.

6. Manner of election: – (1) A candidate for the office of Deputy Mayor shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another, who are entitled to vote. If any candidate claims to be contesting on behalf of a recognized political party, he shall produce an authorization, from the President of the party in the State or a person dulyP age | 3 authorized by the State President under his Office seal and such authorization shall be produced before the Presiding Officer on or before 10.00 A.M on the day of the election.

The names of all candidates validly proposed and seconded shall be read out, along with the name of the Political Party which has set him up, by the Presiding Officer in such a meeting.

(2) If only one candidate is duly proposed, there shall be no election and he shall be declared to have been elected.

(3) If there are two or more such candidates, an election shall be held by show of hands and votes taken of the members present at the meeting.

(4) The Presiding Officer shall thereafter record the number of votes polled, for each such candidate ascertained by show of hands. He shall announce the number of votes secured by each candidate and shall declare the candidate who secures the highest number of votes, as elected.

(5) In the event of there being an equality of votes between two or more candidates, the Mayor shall draw lots in the presence of the members and the candidates whose name is first drawn shall be declared to have been duly elected.

(6) Every recognized political party may appoint on behalf of that political party a whip and intimation of such appointment shall be issued by the State President or a person authorized by him under his seal and such intimation shall be sent to the Mayo to reach him on or before 11.00 A.M. on the day preceding the day of election to the Office of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

Explanation: – Recognized political party means a political party recognized by Election Commission of India, New Delhi as per the provisions of Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 issued under Article 324 of Constitution of India.

(7) (i) Any member of the Corporation, elected on behalf of a recognized political party shall cease to be a Member of the Corporation for disobeying the direction of the Party Whip so issued.

(ii) The Presiding Officer shall, on receipt of a written report from the party Whip within three days of the election that a member belonging to his party has disobeyed the Whip issued in connection with the election, give a show-cause notice to the member concerned as to why he should not be declared to have ceased to hold office and that he should make any representation within seven days from the date of the notice. The Presiding Officer shall, consider any

explanation given and pass a speaking order in the matter of cessation for disobedience of the Whip. If no explanation is received, the Presiding Officer shall pass an order on the basis of the material available with him.

7. Record of Proceedings: – Immediately after the declaration of the result of the election, the Mayor, shall,-

(a) prepare a record of the proceedings of the meeting and sign it attesting with his initials every correction made therein and shall also have the said record of proceedings attested by a majority of the members who participated in the meeting.

(b) publish on the notice board of the Corporation a notice signed by him stating the name of the person elected as Deputy Mayor of the Corporation and send aP age | 4 copy of such notice to the State Election Commission, the Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration. A copy of the notice shall also be given to the candidate who is declared elected as Deputy Mayor.

PART III FILLING UP OF CASUAL VACANCIES IN THE OFFICE OF DEPUTY MAYOR OF MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

8. Procedure for filling casual vacancies: – The Rules in Part-II shall apply for filling up a casual vacancy in the office of the Deputy Mayor.

Provided that every casual vacancy shall be filled up within a period of six months from the date of occurrence of such vacancy.

9. The relevant forms are appended to this order as Annexure-I. (BY ORDER AND IN THE NAME OF THE GOVERNOR OF ANDHRA PRADESH) S.SURESH KUMAR PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT To The Commissioner of Printing, Stationery & Stores Purchase, Vijayawada.

The Commissioner & Director of Municipal Administration, A.P., Rayapudi.

Copy to:- The Secretary to Legislature, A.P. Legislative Assembly, Velagapudi.

The State Election Commissioner, A.P State Election Commission, Vijayawada.

All the Commissioners of Municipal Corporations/ Municipalities/ Nagara Panchayats in the State of Andhra Pradesh (through the C&DMA, Rayapudi).

All the District Collectors in the state of Andhra Pradesh (through the C&DMA, A.P., Rayapudi) P.S. to Secretary to Hon'ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

P.S to the Hon'ble Minister for MA&UD Department.

P.S to the Principal Secretary to Government, MA&UD Department.

SF/SC. (E-3402685) //FORWARDED:: BY ORDER//

SECTION OFFICER ANNEXURE-I FORM I [See Rule 4(1)] I,………………………….. (name and designation) being the Election Authority, hereby authorise Sri ……………………… (name and designation), to convene the special meeting of the elected and ex-officio members of the Municipal Corporation, who are entitled to vote for election of the Deputy Mayor of ……………………….. Municipal Corporation.

Place:

Date :

(Signature)P age | 5 Election Authority FORM II Notice of Special Meeting for Election of Deputy Mayor [See Rule 4(2)] Notice is hereby given to Sri ……………………… elected/ex-officio member of the…………………Municipal Corporation, who is entitled to vote that a special meeting of the members of the Municipal Corporation, who are entitled to vote will be held at (time……………) on (date)……………at its office for the election of the Deputy Mayor. The member is requested to make it convenient to attend the meeting.

Place:

Date :

(Signature) Mayor (Authorized by the Election Authority) S.SURESH KUMAR PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT