Published Nov 03, 2026 | 11:09 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 03, 2026 | 11:09 AM
Cyclone Murasu disrupts Andhra Municipal Election counting
Synopsis: Heavy rains impact the counting scheduled to begin at 8 AM; delays reported in Vijayawada and Bapatla; counting postponed in Ongole Corporation, Addanki, and Chimakurthy. Menwhile, High Court permits vote counting in Pulivendula, and a case has been registered against Jagan and Avinash Reddy.
Great suspense surrounds the results of the Andhra Pradesh municipal elections. While vote counting across 92 urban local bodies statewide was scheduled to commence at 8:00 AM on Tuesday, 3 November, the impact of Cyclone Murasu has disrupted the process in several areas.
Cyclone Murasu made landfall near Andhra Pradesh’s Ongole in the early hours of Tuesday, November 3, with a maximum wind speed of 120 kmph reported at the landfall point.
Voters’ verdicts will decide the fate of 520 candidates contesting for Mayor and Chairperson posts, alongside 10,105 candidates in the fray for Councillor and Corporator seats. Around 6o lakh voters exercised their franchise, and their mandate is scheduled to be announced today.
Across the state, 47,817 officials, employees, and personnel are deployed at 138 counting centers, with arrangements in place to declare the results by 8:00 PM. Sorting ballot papers by ward and bundling them prior to the count is expected to take an hour to an hour and a half. Police have instituted tight security at all counting venues to maintain law and order.
Also Read: Andhra Municipal Elections: 60.96 percent polling recorded
Officials sorting ballot papers
Due to torrential downpours, power outages, and delays in polling personnel reaching counting centers, the process has not yet begun as of 10 AM in locations such as Vijayawada and Bapatla.
In Vijayawada, the process could not begin on time due to incomplete staff turnout at the centers and pending delivery of duty allocation orders. Counting will resume once all prerequisites are completed.
A similar situation prevails in Bapatla, where district officials stated that counting would begin once the rains subside.
Meanwhile, the Prakasam District Collector announced the postponement of counting for the Ongole Municipal Corporation, as well as the Addanki and Chimakurthy municipalities, clarifying that counting will be conducted after the cyclone’s impact eases.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the landfall process began at 1:00 AM on Tuesday, and the severe cyclonic storm crossed the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh (between Nellore and Narsapur) between 3:30 AM and 5:30 AM.
Wind speeds of 100–110 kmph and gusts of up to 120 kmph were reported at the landfall point.
The cyclone is expected to move North-northwestwards and weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm (wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph) by noon and further into a deep depression (wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph) by midnight of Tuesday, said IMD.
Major political parties are in direct competition for Mayoral positions across 13 Municipal Corporations in the state.
On behalf of the ruling alliance, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) fielded candidates in 10 corporations, Janasena in two, and the BJP in one. The YSRCP contested all 13 corporations.
Out of 87 Chairperson posts across municipalities and nagar panchayats, 17 were elected unanimously. In the remaining 70 seats, TDP fielded candidates in 49, Janasena in 17, and BJP in four.
YSRCP contested across all 70 seats.
Alliance leaders expressed confidence that public reception and implemented welfare programs will secure their victory.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court gave the green light for vote counting in Pulivendula Municipality, dismissing petitions filed by YSRCP Vice-Chairman candidate YS Phaneel and MP Avinash Reddy requesting a halt to the process.
The petitioners had argued that the State Election Commission conducted repolling in only four wards and demanded repolling across all remaining wards in Pulivendula Municipality, seeking a stay on counting until then.
Arguments concluded on Monday, and the High Court delivered its verdict at 7:30 AM on Tuesday, dismissing the plea and removing all hurdles to the count in Pulivendula.
Also Read: YSRCP candidates allegedly attacked, vehicles set on fire in Pulivendula
Police registered a case against former Chief Minister and YSRCP President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, alongside MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy, for allegedly laying siege to the Returning Officer’s (RO) office during the municipal polling.
Pulivendula police booked the case over incidents on November 1, citing charges of obstructing election officials from discharging their duties, staging an unlawful assembly and sit-in protest, and violating Section 30 regulations. The complaint stated that they, along with nearly 70 polling agents, besieged the RO office and disrupted election operations.
With cyclone conditions delaying the count in several districts and the High Court issuing its ruling on Pulivendula, anticipation continues to mount across the state regarding the final municipal election outcome.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
