A Bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana on Wednesday directed the State Election Commission of Andhra Pradesh to examine allegations that candidates of the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party were prevented from filing nominations for Urban Local Body elections.
The Supreme Court told the poll panel to decide by Thursday whether the nomination deadline should be extended in municipalities where such complaints arose. Justice Mohana ordered the SEC to keep the final list of contesting candidates on hold until October 25 while it reviews representations and evidence from the YSRCP and other candidates.
The YSR Congress Party welcomed the court's directions on Wednesday. The party described the orders as a victory for democracy and for the democratic rights of its candidates to stand in the ULB polls.
YSRCP spokesperson Konda Rajiv Gandhi said the Supreme Court direction was a major setback for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his coalition government. The party blamed the Telugu Desam Party and its allies in the ruling coalition for attacks linked to the nomination process.
Wherever the SEC grants an extension of the deadline, the Bagchi-led Bench said candidates must be given at least 48 hours from the publication of the commission's decision to submit their nomination papers.
The court's timetable leaves the SEC with until Thursday to rule on extensions in affected urban local bodies. Publication of the final list of candidates remains suspended until October 25 pending that process.
The Supreme Court directed the State Election Commission to weigh claims that YSRCP nominees were blocked from filing papers and to consider extending nomination deadlines in the municipalities where those complaints were filed. Justice Mohana told the state poll panel to keep the final roster of contesting candidates unpublished until October 25 while it decides on representations and evidence from the YSRCP and from other candidates.
