Andhra Pradesh Municipal Polls: SC Defers Final Candidates List
Image: Bar & Bench (file photo)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 21 October, told the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission to hold back the final list of candidates for the state’s urban local body elections until 25 October, and to decide quickly whether nomination deadlines should be extended for candidates who say they were stopped from filing papers. A vacation bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana passed the order on a petition by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which alleges that violence kept its candidates away from nomination centres, according to Bar & Bench.
Commission Must Decide Case by Case
The bench asked the Commission to examine each complaint from candidates who say violence or obstruction stopped them from filing. Where a candidate could not file because of a law and order problem, the Commission must decide whether to extend the deadline, and any extension must run at least 48 hours from its decision. The court asked for that decision “positively by tomorrow”. The Director General of Police must keep police arrangements in place, provide CCTV cameras at nomination centres and election offices, and protect candidates as the Commission directs.
The court said it would not take over the Commission’s role. “There is no judicial deference when it comes to law and order,” Justice Bagchi said, as reported by Bar & Bench.
Torn Papers Alleged in Kadapa and Tirupati
YSRCP’s counsel told the court that 63.5% of its candidates were not allowed to submit nominations in 19 urban local bodies. The party alleges violence at Punganur and Rayachoti on 16 October, the first day of nominations, torn nomination papers in Kadapa, and nine candidates blocked in Tirupati. These are the party’s allegations and the court has not tested them. Commission counsel K Parameshwar said several police protection orders had been issued and complied with, while state counsel Sidharth Luthra blamed YSRCP for the violence.
The party reached the Supreme Court after the Andhra Pradesh High Court refused relief: a single judge dismissed its plea on 15 October, and a Division Bench turned down a one-day extension on 18 October. Nominations ran from 16 to 18 October. Reports before the hearing gave polling as 28 October and counting as 30 October; the order as reported does not state polling dates. Panchayat-level polling is separate, as the MPTC and ZPTC nominations opened on 21 October.
Compliance Reports Due on 27 October
The case returns to the Supreme Court on 27 October, when the Election Commission and the Director General of Police must file compliance reports. It is not yet known how many candidates will get extra time. More court coverage is in Daily Updates.
Source: Based on reporting by Bar & Bench, LiveLaw and The News Minute.
Image: Bar & Bench (file photo).
