Visakhapatnam, with a population of over 15 lakh, will have the highest number of wards in the state at 120, up from 98. | Photo credit: FILE PHOTO / DEEPAK KR
Following the issuance of the Government Order, GOMs. No. 65, March 24 The Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department (MA&UD) on Wednesday (April 1, 2026) issued a circular for delimitation of wards in urban local bodies including 87 municipalities, nagara panchayats and 13 municipal corporations in Andhra Pradesh by population.
According to the circular signed by MA&UD Commissioner and Director P. Sampath Kumar, the number of wards has increased as follows: in Visakhapatnam from 98 to 120; in Vijayawada, from 64 to 86; in Guntur, from 57 to 76; in Nellore, from 54 to 72; in Kurnool, from 52 to 68; at Tirupati, from 50 to 66; and in Anantapur from 50 to 62, among others.
MA&UD Principal Secretary S. Suresh Kumar said the decision to delimit wards in ULBs was taken to rationalize the number of wards according to the growing population. Population data from the 2011 census was adopted for this process.
In the GO, the department proposed to amend the Andhra Pradesh Municipalities (Making Rules of Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Councils) Rules, 2004 and Andhra Pradesh Municipal Corporations (Fixation of Strength of Elected Members) Rules, 2005 based on population criteria.
A reasonable hike
Accordingly, the number of elected members was fixed at 60 in a municipal corporation with a population below 2 lakh; 62 members for population between 2 lakh and 3 lakh; 66 for a population between 3 lakh and 4 lakh; 68 for a population between 4 lakh and 5 lakh; 72 for a population between 5 lakh and 6 lakh; 76 for a population between 6 lakh and 10 lakh; 86 for a population between 10 lakh and 15 lakh; and 120 elected representatives for a population of over 15 million inhabitants. Similar changes also occurred in municipalities depending on the number of inhabitants.
It may be noted that the tenure of elected representatives in 86 out of 123 ULBs in the state, which went to polls in March 2021, ended on March 13. Special officers will be in charge of these ULBs till the elections are held.
Published – 02 Apr 2026 21:03 IST
