AP MLA Pinnelli caught on camera smashing EVM

Amaravati, May 21 : More than a week after polling in Andhra Pradesh, video footage of an MLA of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) damaging an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in a polling booth has emerged.

The video, which went viral on social media, shows Macherla MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy walking into a polling booth in his constituency in Palnadu district, going straight to the voting compartment, lifting the EVM, and throwing it on the ground.

The incident occurred at the Palvai Gate polling booth in Rentachintala mandal of Palnadu, one of the three districts which witnessed poll-related violence.

Simultaneous elections to the 175-member state Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats were held on May 13.

The incident of the MLA damaging the EVM was recorded on the web camera at the polling booth. It came to light a day after the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which probed incidents of violence in Palnadu, Tirupati and Anantapur districts, submitted its report to the Director General of Police.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India has taken serious note of the incident and ordered action against those involved. It ordered Chief Electoral Officer M.K. Meena to ask the DGP to take strong action in the matter Police have informed the CEO that MLA has been named as accused in the case.