The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has submitted a petition to the Supreme Court claiming that violent incidents at nomination centers prevented its candidates from filing nominations for Andhra Pradesh’s upcoming urban local body elections. The party disputes the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s decision to reject its request for an extended deadline, which ended on October 16. Polling is scheduled for October 28, with October 21 as the final date for withdrawing candidatures.
Initially, the YSRCP approached the High Court on October 10 before election notices were issued, asking for more nomination centers with increased security measures. A single judge dismissed this request on October 15. The party then filed a second petition on October 18, detailing violence at centers in Punganur, Rayachoti, Kadapa, and Tirupati. In Tirupati alone, nine candidates later submitted affidavits describing assaults or obstruction while attempting to submit their nomination papers.
A division bench of the High Court denied the YSRCP’s appeal for a one-day extension on October 18, stating that any delay would disrupt the election process. The Supreme Court will now consider the appeal on October 21, the same day the withdrawal deadline expires. The YSRCP argues that the deadline’s expiration was directly tied to the violence, not an unrelated obstacle, and that courts should intervene when democratic processes face such interference.
The petition outlines four key demands: an extension of the nomination period, the creation of additional centers equipped with video recording, police protection for candidates during filings, and a temporary halt on declaring any seats uncontested. The case was presented by advocate Mahfooz A. Nazki.
