Amaravati — State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha extended the nomination window for four Andhra Pradesh urban local bodies by 48 hours on Thursday, following a Supreme Court order. The move allows candidates in Kadapa Municipal Corporation, Rajampet, Mydukuru, and Tirupati Municipal Corporations to file their papers between 11 am and 3 pm on October 23 and 24.
The intervention stems from a petition by the YSR Congress Party, which alleged that its candidates faced violence, threats, and physical obstruction at nomination centers in Punganur, Rayachoti, Kadapa, and Tirupati. The YSRCP argued that these incidents prevented willing candidates from filing their nominations without fear. The Supreme Court, after reviewing the allegations, directed the commission to postpone the final candidate list publication and examine evidence, including electronic records, of the alleged intimidation.
"In certain Urban Local Bodies, some candidates, who were willing to contest, have been intimidated or attacked or their nomination papers were torn or by any adversarial circumstance prevented such candidates from filing nominations," Punetha stated. The commission acknowledged that such incidents occurred in the four specified bodies and decided to provide an opportunity to ensure candidates are not deprived of their right to contest. This decision also triggered a revision of the election schedule for all 100 ULBs in the state.
The revised timeline keeps the November 1 polling date intact. The final list of contesting candidates will be published on October 25. If re-polling becomes necessary, it will be held on November 2. Vote counting remains scheduled for November 3.