SC prohibits YSRCP MLA from entering Macherla counting centre
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi: 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 counting centre of 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 questioned the anticipatory bail granted to Reddy, and termed it as a “sheer mockery of the justice system”. “Once you see the video, you will find that it is a completely erroneous order. This is sheer mockery of the justice system,” the bench told senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Reddy.
The bench directed Reddy to not enter the counting centre on June 4 or be in its vicinity. Elections to the Andhra Pradesh assembly were held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls.
The apex court asked the Andhra Pradesh High Court to decide the petition related to multiple cases lodged against Reddy in connection with various incidents that day, listed for hearing on June 6, without being influenced by the interim protection granted to him on May 28. Reddy, the ruling YSRCP candidate for the Macherla seat, allegedly barged into the polling station with his supporters and broke VVPAT and EVM machines on the day of the poll on May 13.
