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Andhra Pradesh SEC halts the election process across 100 urban local bodies following Supreme Court directions. (Img: X)
Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) has ordered an immediate halt to the ongoing election process in 100 urban local bodies across the state, following directions from the Supreme Court. The order covers 13 municipal corporations and 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats, putting the civic election process on hold while the Commission examines complaints linked to the nomination stage.
State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha issued the order after the Supreme Court directed the poll panel to consider representations submitted by the YSR Congress Party and various candidates, along with documentary and electronic evidence relating to alleged obstruction during nomination filing.
The development is a setback for the election schedule announced by the SEC and has added to the political tension between the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led NDA and the opposition YSRCP. However, the Commission’s decision is a procedural step following the court’s directions and does not, by itself, establish the allegations against any political party.
The dispute reached the Supreme Court after the YSRCP challenged an Andhra Pradesh High Court order that declined to extend the nomination deadline. The party alleged that some of its candidates faced obstruction and were unable to submit their nomination papers during the prescribed period.
The Supreme Court directed the SEC to defer publication of the final list of candidates until October 25. It also asked the Commission to examine the representations and supporting material before deciding whether the nomination deadline should be extended in urban local bodies where candidates were unable to file their papers because of law-and-order problems.
The court’s intervention places the focus on whether candidates had a fair opportunity to participate in the local elections. The allegations remain subject to examination by the competent authorities.
The SEC had issued the election notification on October 14. Candidates were scheduled to file nominations between October 16 and 18, followed by scrutiny of nomination papers on October 19.
In line with the Supreme Court’s directions, Punetha said the Commission would consider reports from district administrations and police authorities before deciding on the nomination deadline. The decision was due on October 22.
If the SEC decides that an extension is justified in affected urban local bodies, candidates must receive at least 48 additional hours from the publication of that decision. The relevant election notification would also have to be amended accordingly.
The Commission’s next order is therefore crucial to determining how the election process will move forward and whether candidates in the affected areas will receive additional time to file nominations.
The halt has brought the conduct of the civic election process into sharper political focus. YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party has raised concerns over the nomination process, while the ruling TDP-led NDA faces renewed scrutiny over the administration of the polls.
The immediate question is whether the SEC’s examination of complaints will lead to extensions in specific urban local bodies and what further directions may emerge from the Supreme Court.
For now, the election process across the 100 urban local bodies remains halted under the Commission’s order. The next steps will depend on the SEC’s assessment of the evidence, its decision on nomination deadlines and further proceedings before the Supreme Court.
