AP High Court Clarifies Returning Officer Responsibility for Panchayat Election Nomination Centers

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has issued crucial directives regarding the setup of panchayat election nomination centers, stating that the returning officer holds the sole responsibility to officially notify these locations. <b>According to the court order</b>, notice must be issued using Form-1 under Rule-6 of election regulations, clearly outlining the exact venue, dates, and timings for accepting nominations. This ruling followed a writ petition challenging the centralization of nomination centers in Rayachoti mandal of Annamayya district, where a local petitioner argued that centralizing all centers in one place causes significant inconvenience and distress to candidates and proposers traveling from distant villages.