Cyclone Arnab Threatens Andhra Municipal Polling Stations; The SEC hopes to keep them on schedule

State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha. He says the Commission will take a decision on the municipal elections on November 1 if Cyclone Arnab proves to be devastating. File | Photo credit: Special arrangement

As Cyclone Arnab approaches the Andhra Pradesh coast and is likely to affect the conduct of the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections on November 1, State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha discussed it with State Disaster Management Authority Director General Prakhar Jain to prepare for any contingencies.

Mr. Punetha told The Hindu that the cyclone appeared to be severe from information provided by Mr. Jain and the Commission was monitoring a system brewing in the Bay of Bengal, which was forecast to make landfall on October 28.

He expressed confidence that the government would normalize the situation within two days after the cyclone crossed the coast, thereby facilitating the conduct of ULB polls as per schedule.

But if the cyclone turns out to be as destructive as expected, the Commission will then decide on holding elections, Mr. Punetha said, adding that he is keeping his fingers crossed for now.

Where is the cyclone now?

A deep depression in the Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclone Arnab (pronounced ‘Ornab’) early Monday (October 26, 2026), the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. At 5:30 am on Monday, it was about 650 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 730 km of Kakinada, 830 km of Machilipatnam and 910 km of Bapatla, moving west at a speed of 15 kmph.

#Deep #Depression over Eastcentral and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal has moved almost westward at 15 kmph during last 6 hours, intensified into #cyclonic storm “#Arnab” (Pronunciation:#Ornab)” and centered at 0530 hrs IST today, 26 Oct over Central Europe and 2026 #Bay_of_Bengal near latitude 15.4°N and longitude 88.9°E, about 590 km northwest of Sri Vijaya Puram (#Andaman Islands), 610 km southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha), 650 km east-southeast of Vishakhaoushhram (70 km east of Kakhakhashupath) from Andhraada PradeAndaman Pradesh), 830 km east of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 910 km east of Bapatla (Andhra Pradesh), it is very likely to move west-northwestward and further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over west-central Bay of Bengal by midnight tonight, 27 October, and very likely to move to the same area after 27 October northwest and cross #Andhra_Pradesh & #Yanam coast between #Bapatla and #Visakhapatnam as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained winds of 115-125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph by noon on 28 Oct 2026.

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 26, 2026

The IMD expects the storm to intensify by Monday midnight and intensify further on Tuesday. It is likely to cross Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by Wednesday (October 28) morning with winds of 115 to 125 kmph gusting up to 140 kmph. The IMD has issued a red alert, the highest cyclone warning, for Andhra Pradesh and the south coast of Odisha.

Published – 26 Oct 2026 12:32 IST