Tension during the filing of nomination papers for local body elections in Pulivendula escalated on Friday after police fired six rounds in the air to disperse YSRCP activists, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle. The incident occurred at a nomination centre as rival groups gathered to complete the election process.
A large number of YSRCP activists had assembled to file their nominations, while TDP leaders had already reached the centre, the report said. Police told the YSRCP leaders that they would be allowed to enter only after the TDP group completed its process and left the office.
According to the police account cited in the report, the activists did not comply with the instruction and attacked police personnel. Officers then opened fire into the air to bring the situation under control and disperse the crowd. The report does not state whether anyone was injured, detained or arrested during the confrontation.
The incident highlights the security pressures that can arise at nomination centres during local body elections, where the filing process brings rival political groups and supporters into close proximity. Police control over access to such centres is intended to manage crowds and maintain order, but restrictions can also become flashpoints when competing groups arrive at the same time.
In Pulivendula, the immediate dispute centred on the sequence in which the two groups would be permitted to complete their nomination process. The police position, as reported, was that the YSRCP leaders would be admitted after the TDP leaders had finished and returned from the office. The subsequent confrontation led to the use of aerial firing as a crowd-control measure.
Local body elections determine representatives for institutions responsible for essential civic functions, including local administration and public services. Nomination filing is an early stage of that process, and disruptions at this point can affect candidates, supporters and election officials operating at the centre. The report does not provide details of the number of nominations filed, the specific local bodies involved or whether the process was suspended after the firing.
The account supplied by Deccan Chronicle attributes the cause of the confrontation to an attack on police by YSRCP activists. No response from YSRCP leaders or independent account of the incident is included in the report. Further official details would be needed to establish whether any cases were registered, whether the nomination schedule was affected and what additional security arrangements were put in place.
The next steps are expected to include police and election authorities assessing the incident and determining how nomination activity will proceed at the centre. The source report does not specify any further official action or revised timetable.
