"Outright Forgery": YSRCP Accuses Andhra SEC of Massive Electoral Fraud
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accuses the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission of forgery and bias to favor CM Chandrababu Naidu.
YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched a scathing attack on the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) and the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), alleging a systemic conspiracy to subvert the democratic process. In a blistering address to reporters, Reddy accused the electoral machinery of practicing "outright forgery" and maintaining a deep-seated bias to favor Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
A History of Partisanship
The YSRCP chief did not hold back in questioning the neutrality of the current State Election Commissioner. Reddy traced the issue back to the 2019 general elections, noting that the individual now heading the SEC served as the Chief Secretary during Chandrababu Naidu's previous tenure.
According to Reddy, this history of partisanship is well-documented. He alleged that during the 2019 elections, the then Chief Election Commissioner had ordered the transfer of certain officers from electoral duties to ensure fairness. However, Reddy claimed the then Chief Secretary defied these directives to assist Naidu by reinstating a removed officer, specifically the then Intelligence DG, A. B. Venkateswara Rao.
"The Chief Election Commissioner was so displeased with him that he removed him from the post of Chief Secretary because he was allegedly displaying a partisan attitude towards the TDP," Reddy stated.
Blocking Nominations and Defying Courts
The controversy extends to the Urban Local Body (ULB) elections, where Reddy alleges that the administration actively blocked YSRCP candidates from participating. He revealed that in 19 different locations, the party was prevented from filing nominations, which eventually forced the YSRCP to seek relief from the Supreme Court.
Despite judicial intervention, Reddy claims the SEC has continued to obstruct the process. He pointed out that of the 19 locations, the Commission permitted nominations in only four, and even then, two of those were only partial. He further alleged that authorities are now using the "scrutiny" process as a weapon to debar candidates in another four municipalities, effectively ignoring the spirit of the Supreme Court's verdict.
Allegations of Data Manipulation and "Fake" Entries
In one of the most serious charges, the YSRCP President accused the SEC of committing administrative fraud by inflating nomination numbers to mislead the judiciary. Reddy claimed that the commission is logging entries that lack mandatory statutory paperwork, such as A-forms and B-forms.
He argued that these inflated numbers are being used to "hoodwink" both the High Court and the Supreme Court, creating a false impression of the electoral landscape while knowing that these candidates will ultimately be rejected due to missing documentation.
Suspicious Spikes in Nominations
Reddy highlighted anomalous data on the official SEC portals as evidence of this alleged fraud. He pointed to staggering jumps in the number of nominations filed under the YSRCP name without the required legal forms:
- A reported jump of 500% to 567% in nominations on the first and second days.
- A 467% increase in nominations for MPTCs on the second day.
Reddy characterized these spikes as a "fraud on the electoral process" and a criminal subversion of democracy. He concluded by stating that the YSRCP's only demand is for the authorities to permit them to file their nominations fairly, leaving the final decision to the voters.