Vijayawada: The Election Commission has directed the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena to instruct the Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) to take stern action against all individuals involved in damaging Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). This order was issued after Macherla MLA Pinneli Ramakrishna Reddy was caught on camera breaking an EVM at polling station 202 on May 13.
The Palnadu district election officers handed over video recordings of the incident and web recordings of all polling stations where EVM machines were damaged in seven polling booths. The police have booked MLA Pinneli Ramakrishna Reddy following the incident.
This directive from the Election Commission aims to ensure that no one dares to interfere with the peaceful conduct of polls in the future by damaging EVMs. The Palnadu district had experienced poll-related violence on the day of the election, May 13.