After 72 hours of high drama, allegations and counter-allegations between the NDA parties and the YSR Congress Party, filing of nominations for urban local body (ULBs) elections ended in Chittoor, Annamayya and Sri Sathya Sai districts on Sunday.
The State Election Commission (SEC) had earlier fixed October 18 as the deadline to file nominations for ULBs, October 19 for scrutiny, October 21 for withdrawal, October 28 for polling and October 30 for counting.
In the three districts, Returning Officers completed the process of filing nominations by the candidates.
The Annamayya district, which set the tone for tension on October 16 with allegations that nomination papers were snatched from a YSRCP candidate in Punganur, saw no fresh clash on Sunday. The district witnessed the most dramatic scenes on October 16 and 17, with clashes reported between the YSRCP leaders and TDP supporters, leading to arson. On Sunday, the police deployed additional security in Madanapalle, Rayachoti and Punganur.
Chittoor Superintendent of Police Tushar Dudi enforced the 100-metre rule, the candidate plus four supporters only norm, and deployed video teams at Chittoor Corporation, Palamaner and Nagari centres. Check-posts at Gudipala and on the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu borders were manned to check cash movement.
In Sri Sathya Sai district, Superintendent of Police S. Satish Kumar ordered drone surveillance over all municipal centres, Dharmavaram, Puttaparthi, Hindupur, Penukonda, Madakasira and Kadiri, entrusting the law and order duties to additional SPs and DSPs. Collector A. Shyam Prasad, who inspected the BSR High School centre in Dharmavaram, said shade, drinking water, and separate entry for women candidates were ensured.
Published - October 18, 2026 07:31 pm IST