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Judgment
Heard Sri P. Sravan Kumar Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioners, learned Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Sri N. Ashwani Kumar, learned Standing Counsel for the respondent Nos.2 to 4 and Sri Y. Koteswara Rao, learned Standing Counsel for the respondent No.5.
The grievance of the petitioners in the instant Writ Petition is against the inaction of the respondents in including the names of the petitioners in the electoral roll of Chilakalapalli Village, Balijipeta Mandal, Parvathipuram Manyam District for the ensuing Gram Panchayat elections, despite their applications seeking transfer of their names to the said Village, and the same have been duly accepted by the respondent authorities.
It is contended that the petitioners are natives of Chilakalapalli Village, Balijipeta Mandal, Parvathipuram Manyam District, but they were residing at Vizianagaram on account of the employment of the 2nd petitioner. Upon his retirement as a District Educational Officer on 31.05.2024, the petitioners have shifted their residence permanently to their native Village and accordingly changed their Aadhaar addresses. It is further contended that in July and August 2026, the petitioners have submitted applications to ECI in Form-8 seeking transfer of their electoral rolls from Vizianagaram to Chilakalapalli Village. The said applications were duly processed, transposing their votes and new EPICs, were also generated with their respective electoral particulars. However, the petitioners names were not reflected in the final electoral roll of the Gram Panchayat published for the scheduled Gram Panchayat elections. On an enquiry, the petitioners were informed that as their applications were accepted after the cut-off date of 06.02.2026 prescribed for preparation of the electoral rolls and therefore their names were not included. The petitioners contends that the Gram Panchayat elections would be notified at any time, therefore, approached this Court seeking a direction to the respondents to include their name in the electoral roll of the subject Grampanchayat that would be published. It is also contended that the petitioners have also made a representation on 10-11-2026 to the authorities.
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 the last Ward.
Having regard to the status of the EPIC issued by the ECI (downloaded on 18-10-2026 in the case of the 1st petitioner and in the case of the 2nd petitioner downloaded on 10-09-2026,) 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 Nos.2 & 3 are directed to and pass appropriate orders on the representation of the petitioners for publication of name of the petitioners in the photo electoral roll of the subject Gram Panchayat viz., Chilakalapalli, as expeditiously as possible before issuing the election notification for Gram Panchayats
With the above observation, the Writ Petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs.
As a sequel, all pending miscellaneous applications shall stand closed.