Andhra fixes mayor quotas for 17 cities; Visakhapatnam, Guntur to get women mayors
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Andhra Pradesh's GO 252 of October 12, 2026 fixes reservations for mayors of all 17 municipal corporations ahead of civic polls; Visakhapatnam and Guntur go to women.
What Happened
The Andhra Pradesh government has fixed which social category or group will hold the mayor's post in each of the state's 17 municipal corporations, a key step before urban local body elections. The Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department issued Government Order (GO) Ms No 252 on Monday, October 12, 2026, under the Andhra Pradesh Municipal Corporations Act, 1994, and directed that it be published in an extraordinary issue of the state gazette the same day. Five mayor posts go to Backward Classes (BCs), two to Scheduled Castes (SCs), one to a Scheduled Tribe (ST), five are reserved for women in the general category, and four are unreserved. Visakhapatnam and Guntur, two of the state's largest cities, will have women mayors, while Vijayawada and Tirupati are open to all.
Key Facts
- Order: GO Ms No 252, issued October 12, 2026, by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department.
- Backward Classes, women (2): Machilipatnam and Kakinada.
- Backward Classes, general (3): Anantapur, Chittoor and Eluru.
- Scheduled Castes (2): Rajahmundry and Kurnool.
- Scheduled Tribe (1): Mangalagiri-Tadepalli.
- Women, general category (5): Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Guntur, Kadapa and Visakhapatnam.
- Unreserved (4): Tirupati, Vijayawada, Ongole and Nellore.
- The State Election Commission has not yet announced a polling schedule.
Why It Matters
Reservation of mayor posts decides who can run for the top job in each city, so it shapes every party's strategy before a single vote is cast. In a corporation reserved for women, only women can be elected mayor; in one reserved for BCs, SCs or STs, only candidates from that group can. Parties now know where they need to field women leaders or leaders from specific communities, and sitting corporators and hopefuls in unreserved cities such as Vijayawada and Tirupati face open contests.
The order also gives women a significant share of urban power. Counting the two BC-women seats, seven of the 17 mayors will be women, including those of Visakhapatnam and Guntur. Mayors run the councils that decide on water supply, roads, drainage, waste collection and local taxes, so the change touches daily life in some of the state's biggest cities.
Backward Class representation in local bodies has been a contested issue in Andhra Pradesh, and the allocation of five mayor posts to BCs will be watched closely by community groups and parties. With the reservation list settled, the next step is for the State Election Commission to notify the schedule and conduct the elections, which reports describe as expected soon.
| Category | Number of mayor posts | Cities |
|---|---|---|
| Backward Classes (women) | 2 | Machilipatnam, Kakinada |
| Backward Classes (general) | 3 | Anantapur, Chittoor, Eluru |
| Scheduled Castes | 2 | Rajahmundry, Kurnool |
| Scheduled Tribe | 1 | Mangalagiri-Tadepalli |
| Women (general) | 5 | Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Guntur, Kadapa, Visakhapatnam |
Impact
Short-term: Political parties will begin choosing mayoral candidates to match each city's category, and aspirants in reserved cities who do not fit the category will have to look elsewhere.
Long-term: Seven women mayors and dedicated seats for BC, SC and ST leaders should widen who runs Andhra Pradesh's cities over the next term.
Who is affected: Residents of the 17 municipal corporations, mayoral aspirants and corporators, political parties, community groups, and the State Election Commission.
Key Takeaway
Andhra Pradesh's October 12 order settles who can contest for mayor in each of its 17 corporations, with Visakhapatnam and Guntur set to be led by women.
Questions and Answers
Which Andhra Pradesh cities will have women mayors?
Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Guntur, Kadapa and Visakhapatnam are reserved for women in the general category, and Machilipatnam and Kakinada are reserved for BC women, making seven in all.
Is the Vijayawada mayor post reserved?
No. Vijayawada is one of four unreserved corporations, along with Tirupati, Ongole and Nellore.
Which order fixed the reservations and when?
GO Ms No 252, issued by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department on October 12, 2026.
When will the municipal elections be held?
The State Election Commission has not yet announced a schedule. The reservation order is a step that comes before the polls are notified.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
