Andhra local body poll staff face unpaid dues, no food or water, says employees’ body

Officials carry election material and ballot boxes in Vijayawada. The Andhra Pradesh Government Employees Association has alleged unpaid dues and a lack of basic facilities for staff on duty in the local body elections. | Photo Credit: K.V.S. Giri The Andhra Pradesh Government Employees Association (APGEA) has urged the Chief Secretary, the State Election Commissioner and key department secretaries to immediately address widespread non-compliance regarding remuneration, food and basic facilities for staff deployed in the ongoing urban and rural local body elections.In a representation dated November 10, 2026, APGEA President K.R. Suryanarayana and General Secretary M. Ramesh Kumar said that thousands of employees serving as presiding officers, polling officers, counting supervisors, micro observers and support personnel were facing severe hardships.Despite formal government orders outlining revised pay structures, such as G.O.Rt. No. 1345 for urban bodies and G.O.Rt. No. 1086 for rural bodies, the association leaders reported systemic failures including delayed or unpaid remuneration, outdated payment rates, omitted training allowances, and a lack of required packed lunches, drinking water and sanitation at polling stations.Under G.O.Rt. No. 1345 dated October 31, 2026, for urban local bodies, revised remuneration allotments include ₹500 per day or a ₹2,000 lump sum for presiding officers and counting supervisors, ₹400 per day or a ₹1,600 lump sum for polling officers, ₹450 per day or a ₹1,350 lump sum for counting assistants, ₹350 per day or a ₹1,400 lump sum for Class-IV employees, and a ₹2,000 lump sum for micro observers. Similarly, under G.O.Rt. No. 1086 dated November 3, 2026, for rural local bodies conducting MPTC and ZPTC elections, staff share a comparable standardised remuneration breakdown, with office subordinates specifically designated to receive ₹350 per day or a ₹1,400 lump sum.The association leaders also pointed to logistical shortfalls: inadequate transport and accommodation for remote postings, out-of-pocket expenses left unreimbursed for Panchayat Development Officers, and insensitive handling of medical emergencies and employee deaths.They have demanded immediate instructions to all District Election Authorities for the strict implementation of the revised government orders, time-bound disbursement schedules for pending dues, mandatory reporting by Election Observers on staff welfare compliance, and strict administrative accountability for officials failing to provide mandated facilities. Published - November 11, 2026 04:13 pm IST