AP Civic Poll Schedule Revised for 100 Urban Local Bodies

The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission has revised the election schedule for 100 urban local bodies, setting November 1 as the polling date. Voting will take place from 7 am to 5 pm.

Following the Supreme Court’s October 21 order, the commission scheduled publication of the final list of contesting candidates after 3 pm on October 25. Repolling, wherever required, will take place on November 2 between 7 am and 5 pm. Counting of votes will begin at 8 am on November 3. State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha issued the notification on Thursday.

Nominations Reopened in Four Urban Local Bodies

The revised nomination window covers specified wards in Kadapa Municipal Corporation, Rajampeta Municipality and Tirupati Municipal Corporation, along with all wards in Mydukuru Municipality.

Fresh nominations will be accepted on October 23 and 24, between 11 am and 3 pm. Scrutiny will begin at 8 am on October 25.

Candidates submitting fresh nominations can withdraw their candidature until 3 pm on October 25. In addition to designated nomination centres, candidates can submit papers at collectorate premises identified by the respective collectors and district election authorities.

Wards Covered Under the Revised Nomination Process

In Kadapa Municipal Corporation, nominations have reopened in 11 wards: 6, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 24, 31, 34, 52 and 55.

In Rajampeta Municipality, the revised process applies to 11 wards: 6, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27.

All 32 wards in Mydukuru Municipality are covered by the fresh nomination window.

In Tirupati Municipal Corporation, the affected wards are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, 55, 56, 57, 59, 65 and 66.

SEC Examines Complaints of Obstruction and Intimidation

Before revising the schedule, the commission examined submissions from collectors, district election authorities, police commissioners and superintendents of police. It also considered representations from the petitioner, the YSRC and other candidates, alongside supporting material, including electronic evidence.

The commission observed that some aspiring candidates had allegedly faced intimidation or attacks, had their nomination papers torn, or had otherwise been prevented from submitting them. After identifying such incidents in the four urban local bodies, the SEC reopened nominations to give affected candidates another opportunity to contest.