GG News Bureau
Hyderabad, 22nd May. In a shocking incident captured on CCTV, a legislator from the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh was seen vandalizing a Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine at a polling station. The Election Commission (EC) revealed that the MLA, identified as Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, damaged electronic voting machines (EVMs) across seven polling centers. The state police chief has been instructed to take decisive action in response to the incident.
The CCTV footage, dated May 13, showed Reddy, the sitting MLA from Macherla constituency, entering the Palwai Gate polling center. Without any provocation, he aggressively picked up the VVPAT machine and threw it to the ground with significant force. As chaos ensued, Reddy nonchalantly kicked the control unit before exiting the premises.
The incident occurred amidst widespread violence reported during the polling in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in the Palnadu district where Macherla is located.
Nara Lokesh, the son of TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, condemned Reddy’s actions, demanding strict action from the Election Commission. He accused the YSRCP of resorting to vandalism and attacks due to fear of electoral defeat.
The EC, in a statement, affirmed that Reddy was recorded vandalizing EVMs across seven polling centers in the Macherla Assembly constituency. The authorities have handed over video evidence to the police for investigation. The EC emphasized the seriousness of the matter and directed the state electoral officer to ensure stringent action against the culprits.
This incident adds to the growing concerns over election-related violence in Andhra Pradesh. On the same day, another YSRCP MLA allegedly assaulted a voter at a polling booth for objecting to queue jumping.
In response to the escalating tensions, the Election Commission has requested the Union Home Ministry to retain 25 companies of central forces in Andhra Pradesh beyond the vote counting on June 4, citing the need to address election and post-poll violence in the state.
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