YSRCP MLA Accused Of Smashing EVM Barred From Entering Counting Station On June 4

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday prohibited YSR Congress Party MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy from entering the Macherla assembly constituency’s counting centre on June 4. This decision follows allegations that Reddy smashed an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at a polling station during the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections on May 13.

Justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta, upon viewing CCTV footage from the polling booth, questioned the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s decision to grant Reddy anticipatory bail. They described it as a “mockery of the justice system.” The court also directed the High Court to reconsider its interim protection order when it hears related petitions on June 6.

The incident occurred when Reddy, the YSRCP candidate for Macherla, allegedly stormed into a polling station with supporters, damaging VVPAT and EVM machines. Despite video evidence, police initially did not register a case against him, prompting Telugu Desam Party (TDP) polling agent Seshagiri Rao Namburi to seek legal action.

While Reddy’s counsel argued for maintaining the anticipatory bail order, given the imminent vote counting, the Supreme Court emphasized the authenticity of the CCTV footage. The court stopped short of barring Reddy from the entire constituency but firmly prohibited his presence at the counting centre.