GVMC Mayor post reserved for women as Visakhapatnam prepares for first direct mayoral election in 26 years
The Andhra Pradesh government has reserved the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) mayoral post for women as part of a return to direct mayoral elections. This shift reverses a 26-year-old indirect election model, aiming to increase grassroots accountability.
Why it matters
The change represents a significant shift in local governance structure in India's urban bodies, directly impacting political representation and civic administration.
Political activity in the city has picked up following the Andhra Pradesh government’s release of G.O. Ms. No. 252, which finalises the reservation categories for the posts of Mayor in the State’s 17 municipal corporations, including the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) here.
Issued by Principal Secretary S. Suresh Kumar on Monday (October 12, 2026), the notification reserves the GVMC Mayor post for Women (General).
The upcoming civic polls follow a major change in local body governance enacted by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly through the Municipal Laws (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2026. The legislation restored the direct election of Mayors and Chairpersons of urban local bodies for a fixed five-year term, reversing the indirect election model that had been in place since August 2005.
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