The Supreme Court has asked Andhra Pradesh's State Election Commission to look into complaints that candidates were prevented from filing nominations in urban local body elections.

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• The Supreme Court directed the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission to address complaints that candidates were prevented from filing nominations in urban local body elections.
• The Court stressed the importance of fair participation in the electoral process.
• Nominations for the urban local body polls were open from October 16 to 18, 2026, closing at 3 pm on October 18.
• The YSR Congress Party alleged that violence and intimidation stopped its candidates from filing papers, citing incidents at Punganur, Rayachoti, Kadapa and Tirupati.
• The Andhra Pradesh High Court on October 18 refused a one-day extension, saying it would amount to interference with the election process.
• The party moved the Supreme Court against that order, and the plea was listed for hearing on October 21.
• The petition argued that the principle of non-interference in elections is a rule of judicial restraint, not an absolute bar.
• Article 243ZA of the Constitution provides for municipal elections, while Article 243K covers State Election Commissions for panchayats.
• The 74th Constitutional Amendment is the basis for the municipal framework.

Tags: StateElectionCommission, Article243ZA, LocalBodyElections