Vizianagaram seeks shift of Mayor poll to October 29 over Sirimanotsavam

Devotees at the Sirimanotsavam of Goddess Pydithalli Ammavaru in Vizianagaram. File | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The Vizianagaram District Collector and Superintendent of Police have asked the State Election Commission (SEC) to move polling in the Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation from October 28 to October 29 because of the Pydithalli Ammavari Sirimanu Utsavam.Polling in the corporation is scheduled for October 28 along with 99 other urban local bodies, for which the election notification was issued on October 14.In a letter to the SEC, Collector S. Ramsundar Reddy and SP A.R. Damodar sought the change so that the elections could be conducted free from the burden of the festival on October 27, which draws a huge number of devotees from across Andhra Pradesh and some parts of the neighbouring States, according to an official release.The Sirimanotsavam of Goddess Pydithalli Ammavaru is preceded by the Vizianagaram Utsavam on October 25 and 26. The corporation will elect its Mayor and 62 corporators. As many as 2,23,050 voters are to cast their votes at 229 polling booths in the city, of which the police have identified 81 as very sensitive.On Wednesday, Mr. Ramsundar Reddy had told The Hindu that the district administration had sufficient experience in handling important programmes simultaneously. Officials had been directed to cancel leave and make staff work on holidays if necessary. Published - October 15, 2026 03:25 pm IST