New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday found prima facie merit in the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party’s (YSRCP) argument that violence and law-and-order issues prevented a majority of its candidates from filing nominations for the Andhra Pradesh urban local body elections.
The SC asked the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission to decide by October 22 whether to extend nomination deadlines in areas where candidates were allegedly prevented from filing papers due to law-and-order problems.
A vacation bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana also directed the State Election Commission to defer the publication of the final candidates’ list until October 25 and examine complaints of violence, obstruction and electronic evidence by Thursday. The list was originally scheduled to be published on October 21.
The court emphasised that the state must ensure adequate police protection and CCTV coverage at nomination filing centres to facilitate a transparent process.
“Law and order cannot cast a shadow on the elections,” the Supreme Court observed, underlining the importance of ensuring a level playing field for candidates participating in the electoral process.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court took on record the YSRCP’s submission that 63.5% of its candidates were unable to file nominations for the Andhra Pradesh urban local body polls.
The SC bench noted that candidates must have the freedom to file nominations and that a transparent nomination process is an essential component of free and fair elections.
“A level playing field has to be provided for filing nominations,” the court observed, stressing that candidates should be able to participate in the electoral process without intimidation or obstruction.
The Supreme Court acknowledged that courts ordinarily exercise restraint in matters relating to the election process. As part of the measures to ensure a fair nomination process, the court said the state should provide police protection and ensure CCTV coverage at nomination filing centres.
The YSRCP reported alleged violence in Punganur, Rayachoti, Kadapa and Tirupati on October 16, when the nomination process began. The party claimed that a candidate’s nomination papers were snatched and ripped up in Kadapa, while candidates in Tirupati were allegedly attacked and prevented from reaching filing centres. Nine candidates from Tirupati have submitted affidavits supporting these claims.
The YSRCP first moved the High Court on October 10, requesting more centres for filing nominations. A single-judge bench rejected its petition on October 15. The party’s subsequent plea for a 24-hour extension was turned down by a division bench on October 18, which held that reopening an expired deadline would amount to interference in the election process.
Challenging the ruling, the party maintained that courts are not completely barred from intervening in election-related matters, especially when alleged obstruction threatens democratic participation. It argued that the expiry of the nomination deadline should not prevent relief if candidates were unable to file their papers because of the alleged disruptions.