The AP civic polls have hit a sudden roadblock. The State Election Commission (SEC) on Wednesday, October 21, halted the ongoing election process in all 100 urban local bodies across the state, a few hours after the Supreme Court directed it to look into complaints that candidates had been prevented from filing their nominations. State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha said the process would be stopped "forthwith" until a further order is issued.
The move covers 13 municipal corporations and 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats, and puts a question mark over the polling originally scheduled for October 28.
How the dispute reached the Supreme Court
The SEC issued the election notification for urban local bodies on October 14. Nominations were accepted from October 16 to 18, and scrutiny was completed on October 19.
The opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) alleged that during the nomination window, its candidates in several places, including Punganur, Rayachoti, Kadapa and Tirupati, were threatened, attacked or stopped from reaching nomination centres, and that nomination papers were snatched and torn in some cases. After the Andhra Pradesh High Court declined to extend the nomination deadline, the party moved the Supreme Court through a Special Leave Petition.
The ruling TDP-led coalition has rejected the allegations. In a joint statement, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and BJP state president PVN Madhav blamed the YSRCP for the violence.
What the Supreme Court ordered
The Supreme Court directed the SEC to:
- Postpone publication of the final list of contesting candidates until October 25
- Consider representations from the YSRCP and affected candidates
- Examine evidence, including electronic material such as videos, on whether candidates could not file nominations because of law-and-order problems
- Decide whether to extend the nomination deadline in such areas
Acting on this, the SEC stopped all further steps in the 100 urban bodies and sought reports from district collectors, district election authorities, police commissioners and superintendents of police. It said any extension of the deadline would come with at least 48 hours' notice through an amended election notification.
| Bodies affected | 100 urban local bodies (13 corporations, 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats) |
| Notification issued | October 14, 2026 |
| Nominations | October 16 to 18 |
| Scrutiny | October 19 |
| Process halted | October 21, after Supreme Court direction |
| Final candidate list | Deferred to October 25 at the earliest |
| Original polling date | October 28 (counting October 30) |
| State Election Commissioner | Anil Chandra Punetha |
What the parties are saying
TDP state president Palla Srinivasa Rao said the government would abide by the Supreme Court's directions. He pointed out that the court had left the decision on extending deadlines to the SEC, so the ruling party had no role in any postponement or change of dates, and added that the TDP had no objection to the court's order. He also said the YSRCP had earlier sought a postponement through several cases without success.
The YSRCP, which has also filed affidavits from candidates in Tirupati to back its claims, has demanded that the Supreme Court's orders be enforced, and had asked the court for police protection so its candidates can file papers without fear.
What it means for voters
For residents of cities and towns across Andhra Pradesh, the immediate effect is uncertainty over when they will vote. If the SEC reopens nominations in some areas, the October 28 polling date may need to change for at least those bodies. The SEC was expected to announce its decision on the nomination extension on Thursday, October 22.
The urban polls are the first stage of a long local body election season in the state. As per the schedule announced on October 14, MPTC and ZPTC polls are planned for November 3, with results on November 5, followed by gram panchayat elections in three phases on November 26, November 29 and December 2.
What happens next
All eyes are now on the SEC's order on extending nominations and on the final candidate list due no earlier than October 25. Separately, nominations for MPTC and ZPTC seats began on October 21, where the YSRCP has made similar allegations in some districts. The outcome will set the tone for what is shaping up to be a bitterly fought local body season between the ruling NDA coalition and the YSRCP.
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