In yet another setback to Andhra Pradesh state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, the state high court on Wednesday suspended his orders allowing renominations at several places in the ongoing elections to municipalities and corporations in the state.
Nimmagadda issued orders based on the complaints from various parties that there was forcible withdrawal of nominations of opposition candidates by the ruling YSR Congress party at several places during the nomination process held in March 2020.
He took the decision to allow fresh nominations to such complainants based on the reports obtained from the returning officers in various districts.
He announced that those who could not file nominations in the past under pressure or those who were forced to withdraw their nominations be given another chance on Tuesday between 11 am and 3 pm.
As a result, there were fresh nominations at some places like Tirupati, Rayachoti and Erraguntla.
However, several YSRC leaders challenged the EC orders in the high court, which granted an interim stay on the fresh nominations.
The high court also granted yet another interim stay on the involvement of ward volunteers in the municipal election process.
It directed that the authorities cannot seize the mobile phones of ward volunteers, as it amounts to curtailing the freedom of speech.