Pavani Gorikapudi vs The State Election Commission, Andhra Pradesh & Ors.

Heard Sri Arugolla Ashok, learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development and Sri N.Ashwani Kumar, learned Standing Counsel for State Election Commission appearing for the respondents.

The grievance of the petitioner in the instant Writ Petition is against the action of the respondents in not including the vote of the petitioner in electoral roll of Kondapalli Grama Panchayat, Peddapuram Mandal, Kakinada District (bearing EPIC No.WUZ2462778).

The petitioner contends that her electoral registration was registered in Peddapuram Assembly Constituency. It is contended that the petitioner had filed an application in Form-7 seeking deletion of her name from the Electoral Roll of the Peddapuram Assembly Constituency and filed an application in prescribed format in Form-8 seeking transposition of her name to Kondapalli Grama Panchayat, the same was processed transposing the name of the petitioner in the Electoral Roll of 39-Peddapuram Assembly Constituency. In the said regard, EPIC was also downloaded on 02.11.2026 duly reflects the name of the petitioner in Peddapuram Assembly Constituency. However, the petitioner’s name is not reflecting in the Electoral Roll of Kondapalli Grama Panchayat and the petitioner is intending to contest of Office of Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat in the ensuing Gram Panchayat Elections. Seeking publication of his name in the Electoral Roll, the petitioner had made a representation dated 10.11.2026 to the respondent authorities. As the same was not considered, petitioner has approached this Court seeking consideration of her request for incorporation of her name in the Electoral Roll.

The petitioner contends that the Gram Panchayat elections are likely to be notified any time soon and that no orders have been passed on the said representation. Therefore, the petitioner has approached this Court seeking a direction to the respondents to include the name in the electoral roll that would be published for the ensuing Gram Panchayat elections.

Considered the submissions.

The proviso to Section 11 of the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, specifically provides that any amendment, transposition or deletion of any entry in the electoral roll, or any inclusions of names in the electoral roll up to the date of election notification shall be carried out in the electoral roll of the Gram Panchayat and any such names included shall be added to the part relating to that Ward.

Having regard to the status of the EPIC issued by the ECI (downloaded on 02.11.2026) and in light of the provisions of Section 11 of the AP Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 and having regard to the circular instructions of the State Election Commission dated 14.10.2026, the respondent authorities are directed to consider and pass appropriate orders on the representation dated 10.11.2026 of the petitioner as expeditiously as possible before issuing the election notification for Gram Panchayat.

Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs.

As a sequel, all pending miscellaneous applications shall stand closed.