Narasaraopet (Andhra Pradesh): Former YSR Congress Party MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, who allegedly smashed an EVM at a polling station on May 13, was arrested on Wednesday.
Police detained Reddy at Narasaraopet and took him to the SP's office, from where the former MLA will be moved to Macherla court. Reddy was arrested after the High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petitions in the case of the destruction of EVMs and attacking those who obstructed him.
Reddy, the Macherla assembly constituency candidate, allegedly barged into the polling station with his supporters and broke VVPAT and EVM machines. On May 28, the high court had granted anticipatory bail to him in the cases registered against him subject to certain conditions.
On June 3, the Supreme Court had barred Reddy from entering the vote counting station of the Macherla assembly constituency on June 4.
What happened on May 13
CCTV footage of the May 13 incident was widely shared on social media. The footage showed Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, the then sitting MLA from the Macherla constituency, walking into the Palwai Gate polling centre and going into the enclosed area where the EVM is kept. He then picks up the VVPAT and smashes it to the ground. The machine breaks into pieces.
A YCP MLA from #AndhraPradesh destroying EVM machine in fear of losing the election. pic.twitter.com/Wkh6TAaSDP
— Vineeth K (@DealsDhamaka) May 21, 2024
On that day, all 25 of Andhra Pradesh’s Lok Sabha constituencies and all 175 Assembly seats went to the polls. The Election Commission (EC) noted that EVMs were damaged in seven polling stations on May 13 in the Macherla Assembly constituency, including the one involving Reddy.
