Andhra urban local body polls paused after SC order on YSRCP plea

The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) has ordered an immediate halt to the election process across all 100 urban local bodies in the state, following Supreme Court directions. The Opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) had approached the apex court alleging large-scale violence and obstruction prevented many of its candidates from filing nominations.

The SEC’s order covers elections to 13 municipal corporations and 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats. State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha said the Commission would issue a further order on October 22, after receiving reports from District Collectors, District election authorities, Police Commissioners and Superintendents of Police.

“The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in its orders in the reference 2nd cited has directed, among other things, that the State Election Commission shall postpone the publication of the final list of candidates till 25.10.2026 and in the meantime, the Commission shall consider the representations made by petitioner party and/or various candidates, including evidentiary material as well as electronic evidence placed before it and take a decision to extend the last date of filing nominations in Urban Local Bodies wherever it is of the view that candidates were unable to file their nominations due to law and order situation,” the SEC in its notification dated October 21 said. 

“... the State Election Commission, hereby, order that the further election process in respect of all 100 Urban Local Bodies in the State shall be stopped forthwith,” it further read.

The Commission said that it will issue an order on October 22 after obtaining the reports from the Collectors, District Election Authorities, Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police.

Recently, the Supreme Court had directed the SEC to postpone publication of the final list of candidates until October 25. It also asked the Commission to consider representations from the YSRCP and individual candidates, along with supporting documentary and electronic evidence, and decide whether to extend the nomination deadline in areas where candidates were unable to file papers because of law-and-order problems. 

The YSRCP approached the Supreme Court after the Andhra Pradesh High Court declined to extend the nomination period. The party alleged that candidates were assaulted, intimidated or stopped from reaching nomination centres during the filing period, which was scheduled from October 16 to 18. They also alleged that their candidates' nomination papers were snatched or torn.