YSRCP welcomed the Supreme Court's intervention in Andhra Pradesh local polls, with Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy alleging 76 incidents of violence and obstruction during nominations and urging the State Election Commission to act on the court's directives.
YSRCP Demands SEC Action, Alleges Widespread Violence
Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) Andhra Pradesh Coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy welcomed the Supreme Court’s intervention in Andhra Pradesh’s local elections and demanded that the State Election Commission exercise its powers, protect candidates and remove officials serving the ruling party.
According to a press release, Sajjala alleged 76 incidents across 11 districts during ZPTC and MPTC nominations, including attacks, arrests, house confinement, threats and destruction of nomination papers while addressing the media. He claimed that YSR district accounted for 22 incidents, Palnadu 18, Annamayya and Tirupati 11 each, with the remainder across seven districts. YSRCP would submit these developments to the Supreme Court and seek transfers or removal from election duties of responsible officials.
Ruling Party Blamed for Obstruction
He claimed that Municipal nomination obstruction, arbitrary rejection during scrutiny and threats forcing withdrawals were now recurring in parishad elections, and candidates withdrew under police pressure and threats of fabricated narcotics and other criminal cases, rather than unwillingness to contest. He said that overlapping municipal withdrawal and parishad nomination schedules compounded confusion. Sajjala welcomed postponement of final candidate lists until October 25, a decision on nomination complaints by October 22, CCTV coverage and compliance reporting by October 27. Merely forwarding complaints to the same police authorities was ineffective; the SEC must demand records from Collectors and SPs and enforce accountability, he claimed.
Citing alleged stone attacks near Kadapa’s Zilla Parishad office and papers torn inside nomination centres in Narasaraopet and elsewhere, he alleged Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s attempt to blame YSRCP. He further claimed that ruling-party groups operated with police support, while victims faced cases and leaders faced confinement. He condemned the alleged use of hired interstate groups, including workers brought from Bihar, to create violence and rejected attempts to equate them with licensed security personnel. He said YSRCP’s restraint reflected strength and democratic commitment. Expressing confidence in courts and constitutional institutions, Sajjala warned against distortion of the ruling and demanded immediate SEC action so candidates could contest freely without repeatedly seeking judicial intervention to protect electoral participation.
Supreme Court's Directives to Poll Panel
This comes after the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (APSEC) to decide by October 22 on extending nomination deadlines for urban local body polls wherever candidates were allegedly prevented from filing nominations due to law and order issues. A vacation bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed the State poll panel to postpone publication of the final candidates’ list until October 25 and examine complaints of violence, obstruction and electronic evidence by Thursday. The publication of candidates’ list was originally scheduled to be published on October 21.
The bench said if the poll panel chooses to extend the time, it must allow candidates at least 48 hours from publication of the decision. It further ordered that the Director General of Police must ensure police protection to candidates and CCTV coverage at nomination centres and sought a compliance report from the poll panel and the State. The bench posted the matter for hearing on October 27.
Court Observes 'Free and Fair Elections' are Basic Structure
The apex court was hearing a plea by Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s refusal to extend the nomination deadline for the upcoming urban local body elections, alleging that violence and intimidation prevented its candidates from filing their papers. During the hearing, the bench observed that free and fair elections are part of the Constitution’s basic structure and the right to file nominations is integral to the electoral process. It added that constitutional courts cannot remain powerless when intervention is necessary to safeguard electoral fairness.
“While the constitutional courts would not ordinarily interfere with the election process, their hands are not tied when appropriate interference is necessary to ensure that free and fair elections are not polluted by unconstitutional or illegal means,” the bench said. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the YSRCP, claimed that nearly 63 per cent of candidates had been prevented from filing nominations and that videos showed nomination papers being torn. The State and the SEC opposed the plea, with senior advocate Siddharth Luthra representing the government alleging that the petitioner itself had instigated violence. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, also appearing for the State, argued that the party was attempting to create a media narrative. The bench said it had considered the rival submissions and the material placed on record before concluding that the YSRCP had made out a prima facie case for directions. (ANI)
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