Over 75,000 people bound over ahead of local body polls in A.P.

Police personnel and members of the Static Surveillance Team inspect vehicles at Tadepalli in Guntur district on October 24 as part of intensified security measures ahead of the local body elections. The teams check vehicles for the transportation of cash, liquor, and other items that could be used to influence voters, while keeping a close watch on election-related violations.

As many as 75,000 people have been bound over across the State to prevent violence and ensure the peaceful conduct of the local body elections.

The police are tracking the movements and social-media activities of those identified as having been involved in polling-related violence in the past.

“Criminals involved in election-related cases, rowdies, and those with a history of criminal activity, including suspect-sheeters and known depredators (KD) have been bound over in the State in the wake of the urban local body polls,” said Inspector General of Police (IGP) B. Raja Kumari.

Instructions have been issued to execute Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) wherever necessary, and install CCTV cameras at nomination centres, she said.

“About 70,000 police personnel, including those from the Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) and strike forces, will be deployed for the polls. Additional forces will be stationed in sensitive and hypersensitive areas,” the IGP told The Hindu on Saturday (October 24, 2026).

The police have also been directed to take preventive measures to curb violence during scrutiny, campaigning and polling.

The police have registered about 190 cases relating to election-related incidents across the State since the election notification was issued.

Police are identifying those involved in violence during the filing of nominations, damaging and snatching nomination papers, attacking contestants, polling staff and police, damaging vehicles, and other incidents, Ms. Raja Kumari, who is attached to the State Election Commission (SEC) said.

Some of the accused have been arrested and were produced before courts, while efforts are underway to trace the remaining suspects, she added.