GVMC gears up for municipal elections across 120 wards - The HinduPublished - September 21, 2026 09:44 pm IST - VISAKHAPATNAM:Kamalakara Rao V _11831The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has begun preparation for the upcoming civic body polls.Commissioner Ketan Garg has directed officials to make foolproof advance arrangements for the smooth, transparent, and error-free conduct of upcoming elections across the civic body’s limits.Reviewing the election preparedness during a comprehensive video conference from the GVMC head office on Monday, the Commissioner stressed that meticulous execution is vital across all administrative tiers.The civic administration covers 120 wards and 1,955 designated polling stations, necessitating an estimated deployment of more than 14,000 election personnel.Key stakeholders, including Additional Commissioner D.V. Ramanamurthy, Mayoral Election Special Deputy Collector Dayanidhi, and GVMC Secretary B.V. Ramana, briefed officials on statutory guidelines, operating procedures, and logistical milestones through detailed presentations.Copies of the formal election notifications will be made accessible for public review at the GVMC head office, zonal offices, ward secretariats, and Tahsildar offices from Tuesday.Officials were directed to rigorously verify ward-wise voter counts and polling station lists to eliminate duplications, omissions, or mapping errors. They were also asked to mandatory conduct pre-poll field inspections to ensure that basic amenities are functional and available at every polling venue.Furthermore, officials were instructed to prepare strict accuracy in electoral rolls, prepare advance VIP lists, establish clear checklists, and distribute the electoral rolls to recognised political parties once guidelines officially take effect.The ongoing training of Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) was also reviewed. Officials were directed to draw lessons from past elections to ensure seamless administrative rollout.Published - September 21, 2026 09:44 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }