In yet another decision that would cause embarrassment to the ruling YSR Congress party in Andhra Pradesh, state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar on Tuesday issued orders warning against forcible withdrawal of nominations in the municipal elections.
After receiving a lot of complaints during the gram panchayat elections about forcible withdrawal of nominations, Nimmagadda ordered that such threats would not be allowed in the municipal elections.
“If there is any complaint from any candidate, whose nomination was found correct during scrutiny, that he was being forced by his rivals to withdraw his nomination, the returning officers should take the candidate’s objection into consideration and refuse to accept his withdrawal,” the SEC ordered.
He said such candidates who face threats from their rivals can lodge a complaint with the returning officers, who would consider their applications and accept their nominations. They would be declared as candidates in the elections, Nimmagadda said.
He said the decision was taken following the representations from various opposition parties and the high court orders in this regard.
Meanwhile, the state high court on Tuesday ordered that the election authorities videograph the counting of votes in Andhra gram panchayat elections. The verdict came following a petition that large scale irregularities had occurred during the counting of votes.
The state election commission has already issued orders on the videographic of counting process. The high court has now endorsed the SEC order.
