Andhra Pradesh local polls: YSRCP moves Supreme Court for protection of candidates

New Delhi: YSRCP has moved the Supreme Court seeking protection for candidates allegedly blocked from filing nominations for Andhra Pradesh local body polls, as party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy stepped up his attack on the appointment process of CEC and ECs, saying: "An examiner cannot be appointed by a student."

In its special leave petition, YSRCP has sought police protection for candidates, an extension of the nomination deadline, and additional or alternative nomination centres.

The plea challenges the Andhra Pradesh High Court's October 18 refusal to extend the deadline, with the court holding that it had expired and could not be extended without interfering with the election process. YSRCP has alleged that violence, intimidation and obstruction prevented several candidates from reaching nomination centres.


The party has cited incidents in Punganur, Rayachoti, Kadapa and Tirupati, including alleged attacks on candidates, tearing of nomination papers and an attack on the convoy of YSRCP MP PV Midhun Reddy. Talking to ET, party leader Ayodhya Rami Reddy said: "Democracy cannot function when Opposition candidates are denied a fair opportunity to contest and rather attacked or when the poll panel's independence is being questioned."

In a related development, the announcement of panchayat polls in the disputed Kotia block became a bone of contention between NDA allies BJP and TDP. There are 21 villages in the block, which are claimed by both Odisha and Andhra as their territories. Andhra has issued a notification for local elections, including the villages in Kotia block. But it has not mentioned any date for polls in these villages.

Odisha BJP in wait-&-watch Mode; PATNAIK Slams Manjhi Sarkar

Odisha BJP chief Manmohan Samal told ET: "We have come to know about the exchange of letters between the Odisha CM (Mohan Charan Majhi) and the former CM (Naveen Patnaik). We will discuss with the government and within the party, and will come up with an appropriate response."

Terming the development "alarming", Patnaik asked: "Why Andhra is announcing elections while BJP is in power in both states. Is political dependency the reason behind the silence of the Odisha BJP government and its mindset of compromising on Odisha's interests and geographical integrity?"