Nomination ends in 3 districts of AP without fresh violence after tense campaign

Police personnel conducting checks at a local lodge in Chittoor on Sunday ahead of local body elections. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

After 72 hours of high drama, allegations and counter-allegations between the NDA parties and the YSR Congress Party, the filing of nominations for the Municipal Body (ULB) elections in Chittoor, Annamayya and Sri Sathya Sai districts ended on Sunday.

The State Election Commission (SEC) had earlier set October 18 as the deadline for filing nominations for ULBs, October 19 for scrutiny, October 21 for withdrawal, October 28 for polling and October 30 for counting.

In three districts, the returning officers have completed the process of filing nominations of candidates.

Annamayya district, which set the tone for tension on October 16 with allegations that nomination papers were stolen from a YSRCP candidate in Punganur, saw no fresh clashes on Sunday. The district witnessed the most dramatic scenes on October 16 and 17 when clashes were reported between YSRCP leaders and TDP supporters leading to arson. On Sunday, the police deployed additional security measures in Madanapalle, Rayachoti and Punganur.

Chittoor Superintendent of Police Tushar Dudi enforced the 100-metre rule, a candidate-and-four-supporter-only norm, and deployed video teams at Chittoor Corporation, Palamaner and Nagari centres. Checkposts at Gudipal and at the borders of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been manned to check the movement of cash.

In Sri Sathya Sai district, Superintendent of Police S. Satish Kumar has ordered drone surveillance of all urban centres, Dharmavaram, Puttaparthi, Hindupur, Penukonda, Madakasira and Kadiri, handing over law and order duties to other SPs and DSPs. Collector A. Shyam Prasad, who inspected the BSR High School center in Dharmavaram, said shade, drinking water and a separate entrance for women candidates had been provided.

Published – 18 Oct 2026 19:31 IST