New Delhi, Oct 27 The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to extend the nomination deadline for the local body elections in Andhra Pradesh, rejecting a plea of the YSRCP.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said the allegations of the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) that its candidates were prevented from filing nominations involve disputed questions of fact that cannot be adjudicated at this stage.
The top court said those candidates claiming wrongful exclusion may file election petitions, subject to establishing their claims under law.
The apex court indicated that it may issue comprehensive guidelines to safeguard the electoral process.
“Instilling confidence in the election process is vital for the maintenance of constitutional democracy,” the top court had said on October 21 as it asked the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (APSEC) to defer publishing the final list of candidates for civic polls.
The order had come on a plea of YSRCP alleging its candidates were not allowed to fill nomination papers for the upcoming polls due to violence and threats given to them.
It had directed the state poll panel to consider the complaints by YSRCP and other candidates with relevant materials that they were prevented from filing nomination papers and take a decision on extending the nomination deadline.
The court had also directed the state police chief to provide adequate security to the contesting candidates and the election offices, while observing that filing of nomination papers was a facet of free and fair elections.
The court had clarified that it was not directly intervening in the election process but was allowing the state election commission to consider the party’s grievance and take an appropriate decision.
(PTI News)
