SC gave SEC free hand to SEC, says TDP

Vijayawada: The Supreme Court has not pulled up the Andhra Pradesh government or the State Election Commission (SEC) over the ongoing urban local body elections, but has merely empowered the poll body to independently examine complaints and ensure free, fair and peaceful elections, TDP legal advisor Posani Venkateswarlu said on Wednesday.

Speaking on the final day of publication of nominations for municipal corporations and municipalities, Venkateswarlu dismissed reports suggesting the apex court had found fault with the election process. He clarified that the court’s order only authorises the SEC to scrutinise complaints from candidates who allegedly could not file nominations due to local law and order issues.

According to him, the Supreme Court directed the SEC to assess each complaint on merit and determine whether genuine disruptions prevented candidates from entering the fray. If such claims are found valid, the commission has been instructed to provide another opportunity for filing nominations. The SEC has been asked to take a decision within a day, while constituencies where re-nominations are permitted will get a two-day extension in the election schedule to facilitate a peaceful process.

Rejecting claims that the court reprimanded either the government or the SEC, Venkateswarlu said the apex court neither blamed any political party nor specified the number of constituencies that may require intervention. He noted that while reports have referred to disturbances in around 19 locations, including several in Kadapa district, the court’s focus remains solely on verifying the complaints before it.

Accusing some sections of distorting the court’s order for political gains, Posani urged the public not to be misled by speculative narratives. He maintained that compared to the violence-marred local body elections of 2021, the current election process has remained largely peaceful.

“The Supreme Court’s order is a safeguard to protect democratic participation and address genuine grievances, not an indictment of the election machinery,”

he asserted.

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