AP municipal polls pushed to 1 November as nominations reopen in four bodies

The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission has halted the municipal election process in all 100 urban local bodies and reopened nominations in just four of them. Polling for all 100 bodies, earlier fixed for 28 October, now moves to 1 November.

This updates our earlier report, which said nominations might reopen in 19 towns. The notification issued on 22 October by State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha confines the fresh filing window to four bodies and 72 wards.

Where nominations reopen

• Kadapa Municipal Corporation: 11 wards (6, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 24, 31, 34, 52 and 55)
• Rajampet Municipality: 11 wards (6, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27)
• Mydukur Municipality: all 32 wards
• Tirupati Municipal Corporation: 18 wards (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, 55, 56, 57, 59, 65 and 66)

Fresh nominations will be accepted on 23 and 24 October, from 11 am to 3 pm on both days. Candidates can file at the centres the returning officers set up for the original round or at alternative centres inside the Collectorate premises.

Why the Commission acted

The Commission said it reviewed reports from district collectors, district election authorities and police chiefs for all 100 bodies. It found that in these four, some candidates were intimidated, threatened or physically obstructed, and that some nomination papers were torn, so they were unlawfully prevented from filing.

The step follows a Supreme Court order of 21 October on a petition by the YSR Congress Party. The court told the Commission to decide by 22 October whether to extend nominations, with any extension lasting at least 48 hours, and asked it to hold back publication of the final candidate list until 25 October.

The revised calendar

• 23 and 24 October: fresh nominations in the four bodies
• 25 October: scrutiny of the fresh nominations from 8 am; withdrawal until 3 pm for those who filed in the new window; final list of candidates for all 100 bodies after 3 pm
• 1 November: polling, 7 am to 5 pm, in all 100 bodies (earlier 28 October)
• 2 November: re-poll, where needed
• 3 November: counting from 8 am

The original programme, notified on 14 October for 13 municipal corporations and 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats, had nominations from 16 to 18 October, scrutiny on 19 October and withdrawal until 21 October.

What happens next

Elections to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor, chairperson and vice-chairperson are indirect and will follow a separate schedule that the Commission will announce later.

Candidates and parties in the four bodies now have two days to file. Everywhere else, the nominations already accepted stand, and the final list will come only after the 25 October scrutiny and withdrawal in the reopened wards.