Jana Sena candidate Garapati Divya dies of cardiac arrest hours before counting yet wins East Godavari seat

Jana Sena Party’s 28‑year‑old MPTC candidate Garapati Divya died of cardiac arrest just hours before vote counting but still secured a win in Damanthunigidem panchayat, East Godavari district. She complained of chest pain on Friday evening and was rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared her dead by Friday night. The election officials counted the ballots while her body lay in the mortuary, and the result showed Divya received 969 votes, beating YSR Congress Party rival G. Dhanalakshmi, who earned 608 votes, giving a margin of 361 votes. The sudden death cast a pall over the panchayat, and scores of Jana Sena supporters took part in her last rites as counting continued. The victory marks a rare instance of a deceased candidate being declared elected, a provision that applies when a candidate’s name remains on the ballot at the time of counting. Local authorities confirmed the cause of death as cardiac arrest, and no foul play was reported. The incident has sparked discussions among party workers about the emotional impact on supporters and the procedural handling of such cases in local body elections.

Context

MPTC seats are part of the Mandal Parishad, the third tier of rural local government in Andhra Pradesh. Candidates who die after the filing deadline remain on the ballot, so if they win, the seat is declared vacant and a by‑election is held. This rule explains why Divya’s name was still counted despite her death.