Ever since the YSR Congress party led by former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy faced a humiliating defeat in the assembly elections in June 2024, the party leaders have been expressing suspicions over the alleged manipulation of electronic voting machines (EVMs) by the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition.
Jagan raised the issue several times and alleged that Naidu came to power through fraudulent means. He demanded that the next elections be conducted using ballot papers, as is being argued by the opposition parties across the country.
Adding to his suspicions over the alleged manipulation of EVMs, there is a talk that the Naidu government might opt for the EVMs even in the local body elections, scheduled to be held early next year.
In 2021, when the gram panchayat elections were held, the state election commission used the ballot paper method.
Of course, the elections were more or less unilateral, as the YSRCP virtually bulldozed the election process by intimidating the TDP and Jana Sena Party candidates.
This time, the SEC is planning to go in for polling using the EVMs. On Tuesday, SEC Neelam Sawhney announced that local body elections in the state would be conducted in four phases, probably using the EVMs.
She said the commission would consult with the government regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). She pointed out that states such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar had already used EVMs in similar elections.
“A decision on procurement and usage of EVMs would be taken soon. We can reuse the EVMs repeatedly, as the elections are held in four phases,” she said.
The SEC is preparing to advance the elections by three months, proposing to hold them in January 2026, instead of March–April. As per legal provisions, polls can be scheduled up to three months before the expiry of the incumbent term.
Accordingly, Sahni has already written letters to the commissioners of Panchayati Raj and Municipal Administration departments, instructing them to make necessary arrangements.
The terms of corporators and councillors in municipal corporations, municipalities, and nagar panchayats end in March 2026, while the tenure of sarpanches concludes in April 2026. Hence, the SEC is moving to organize polls ahead of schedule.
Tentative Election Schedule
By October 15, 2025: Completion of ward delimitation and reservation process.
October 16 – November 15, 2025: Preparation and publication of ward-wise voters list.
November 1 – 15, 2025: Appointment of election officials.
November 16 – 30, 2025: Finalization of polling stations, preparation and procurement of EVMs.
By December 15, 2025: Finalization of reservations.
Last week of December 2025: Meetings with political parties.
January 2026: Issue of election notification and announcement of results within the same month.