SC bars YSRCP MLA accused of smashing EVM from entering counting station on June 4

PTI, Jun 3, 2024, 12:46 PM IST

The Supreme Court on Monday barred YSR Congress Party MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, who allegedly smashed an EVM at a polling station, from entering the vote counting station of the Macherla assembly constituency on June 4.

A vacation bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta saw the video of the May 13 incident and termed the anticipatory bail granted to Reddy “sheer mockery of justice system”.
The bench directed Reddy to not enter the counting station of the Macherla assembly constituency on June 4 or be in its vicinity.

It asked the Andhra Pradesh High Court to decide the petition related to the cases against Reddy listed for hearing on June 6 without being influenced by the interim protection granted to him on May 28.
Reddy, the Macherla assembly constituency candidate of the ruling YSRCP, 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.