YSRCP has challenged an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court that refused to extend the nomination deadline by even a day.

The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) has moved Supreme Court over the conduct of elections to the Urban Local Bodies in the State of Andhra Pradesh alleging the workers of the party in power have resorted to large-scale violence and have prevented their candidates from even filing their nominations.

YSRCP has approached the Supreme Court after the High Court has denied its plea seeking immediate directions for alternative and safe places for submission of nomination papers.

By order dated 15 October, 2026, the Single Judge declined the prayer as being based on mere apprehension, and granted liberty to individual candidates to apply to the Election Officers concerned within the notified schedule. 

As per the petitioner, soon after the high court's refusal, on the very next day i.e., the first of the three days fixed for nominations, there was violence at Punganur and Rayachoti, nomination papers of the YSRCP candidate were snatched and torn at Kadapa, and candidates at Tirupati were physically assaulted and prevented from even reaching the nomination centres.

In this regard, representations were even made to the State Election Commission on 16the October 2026 and again in person on 18th October 2026 but yielded no result.

Later, considering that the last date for filing nominations was 18th October 2026, YSRCP had filed an appeal before the high court annexing sworn affidavits of candidates who were prevented from filing their nominations, along with an application seeking extension of time for receipt of nominations by one day, which cam to be dismissed by a Division Bench, holding that the relief was beyond the scope of the writ petition and that, the time for filing nominations having expired, any direction would amount to interference with the election process.

The said Writ Appeal has now been posted to 26th October 2026, by which date withdrawal will be over and candidates will stand returned unopposed in wards where the YSRCP candidates were kept out, the plea filed through AOR Mahfooz A Nazki adds.

Supreme Court has been told that the High Court ought to have appreciated that the principle of non-interference with elections is a rule of judicial restraint and not an absolute bar.

"What is barred is only the calling in question of an election otherwise than by an election petition; it does not prevent directions that facilitate and further the election. In a situation where the democratic process is being thwarted, it is the bounden duty of the Constitutional Courts to step in and ensure that elections take place transparently and that no candidate is forced out of the race. The expiry of time on 18.10.2026 was itself the consequence of the obstruction complained of, and could not be a ground to deny relief, particularly when Rule 7 of the 2026 Rules empowers the State Election Commissioner to alter and re-notify the election programme where the process is interrupted," the plea states.

Case Title: Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party Versus The State of Andhra Pradesh and Ors

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