Sri Vijaya Puram, May 5: The much-anticipated elections of the Andaman Association of Tour Operators (AATO) were conducted successfully on May 2, 2026 at Hotel Sun Sea Resort, Sri Vijaya Puram, recording an exceptional voter turnout of more than 99%, reflecting strong unity and participation among members. A total of 46 candidates contested for 23 posts comprising Office Bearers and Executive Committee Members, and the entire process was conducted in a smooth, fair and transparent manner under the supervision of Returning Officer Abdul Siddique and Assistant Returning Officer C.P. Mohammed Yousuf.
In the results, Mohan Vinod, leading Team Bat, was elected as President with a decisive victory, underlining the strong mandate and confidence reposed in his leadership. The other elected Office Bearers include K. Hamza, S. Siva, K. Navneeth and Javed Ali as Vice Presidents, Saikat Biswas as General Secretary, Dinesh Singh as Treasurer, and Mohammed Sajid, K. Sathya Murthi, M. Purushotham and Amrita Singh as Joint Secretaries, along with Ek Mohammed Rafique as Organising Secretary. Additionally, 11 Executive Committee Members were elected, completing the full strength of 23 representatives who will lead AATO for the 2026–2028 term.
Expressing his gratitude, President-elect Mohan Vinod thanked all AATO members for their overwhelming support and trust, assuring that the new team will work collectively for the betterment of the tourism industry in the islands. General Secretary Saikat Biswas extended his sincere appreciation to the Returning Officer and his team, polling agents, police personnel and the media for ensuring the smooth, fair and peaceful conduct of the elections.
The successful conduct of this highly anticipated election with such a remarkable voting percentage highlights the commitment of members towards strengthening the association and working collectively for the growth and development of tourism in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, with Team Bat’s sweeping victory emerging as the defining highlight of the election.