Overview
- The Supreme Court on Oct 21 told the State Election Commission to consider representations and evidentiary material about alleged attacks on candidates and to postpone publication of the final candidate list.
- In compliance, the SEC on Oct 22 granted a 48-hour nomination window for selected wards in Kadapa Municipal Corporation, Rajampet Municipality, Mydukur Municipality and Tirupati Municipal Corporation with filing hours set for 11:00 to 15:00 on Oct 23 and Oct 24.
- The SEC said it reviewed reports from collectors, district election authorities and senior police officers and examined documentary and electronic evidence before deciding that some candidates had been intimidated, attacked or prevented from filing.
- The commission revised the timetable for all 100 urban local bodies by setting scrutiny and last-withdrawal deadlines for Oct 25, scheduling polling for Nov 1, re-polling if needed on Nov 2, and counting on Nov 3.
- The change responds to a Special Leave Petition by the YSR Congress Party and aims to let affected candidates contest; it also requires local authorities to provide security and could shift campaign plans and administrative preparations in the coming days.