Andhra Pradesh revises urban local body election schedule after Supreme Court directive

The Andhra Pradesh state election commission on Thursday announced a revised schedule for the elections to urban local bodies in the state, following the Supreme Court directions which came on Wednesday on complaints that some candidates were prevented from filing nominations due to law-and-order problems.

According to the fresh notification released by state election commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha, the polling for 100 ULB, including 13 municipal corporations, will be held on November 1 and counting of votes will take place on November 3.

With regard to four urban local bodies – Kadapa Municipal Corporation, Rajampet Municipality and Mydukur Municipality in YSR Kadapa district, and Tirupati Municipal Corporation in Tirupati district, where there were allegations of violence and disturbances in the nomination process, the nomination process would be reopened for 48 hours.

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In these four places, fresh nominations will be received on October 23 and 24 between 11 am and 3 pm at the locations already notified by the respective Returning Officers/Election Officers. Besides existing nomination centres, candidates can submit their nomination papers at Collectorate premises designated by respective Collectors and district election authorities.

The APSEC observed that in these four urban local bodies, candidates willing to contest had allegedly been intimidated or attacked, their nomination papers torn, or other adverse circumstances had prevented them from filing nominations. Now, the candidates will be allowed to file fresh nominations.

The commission clarified that the facility to withdraw nominations will be allowed on October 25 only for candidates filing fresh nominations during the extended period.