The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Andhra Pradesh): The Election Commission has directed the Andhra Pradesh police chief to take stringent action against a YSRCP MLA, Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, who was filmed damaging an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) during the 13 May elections in the Macherla assembly constituency. This incident is one of several where EVMs were vandalized in seven polling stations within the constituency.
According to the chief electoral officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena’s office, the vandalism was caught on a web camera at polling station number 202, where MLA Reddy was allegedly recorded damaging the EVM. Given the severity of the situation, the Election Commission has instructed CEO Meena to inform Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta to initiate strict criminal proceedings against all individuals involved in the incident.
Palnadu district election officials have handed over the footage to the police to aid the investigation. The police have included MLA Reddy’s name in the list of accused individuals as part of their ongoing investigation.
In a statement, the Election Commission emphasized the need for stringent action against those involved in damaging EVMs to set a precedent, ensuring that future elections are conducted peacefully without any interference.
The southern state of Andhra Pradesh saw instances of poll-related violence in several districts, including Palnadu, Tirupati, and Anantapur, as the state simultaneously held elections for its Lok Sabha and state assembly on 13 May.
