ECI, govt in tussle over Macherla case

Nelapadu (Guntur dist): The case of Macherla legislator Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, which has been taking several twists and turns since Wednesday, appears to be becoming a tussle between ECI and state government.

Despite the orders of the ECI to the state government to arrest the MLA, the police had so far not been able to trace him. Meanwhile, 10 days after polling, YSRCP ministers and party leaders are now alleging that there has been rigging in about 60 polling stations and demanded re-polling. Minister Ambati Rambabu filed a petition in the High Court pointing out that there were irregularities indulged by the opposition TDP leaders in various polling booths in the Sattenapalli constituency and in order to do justice to the voters, he wanted re-polling in certain polling booths. However, the High Court dismissed the petition saying it could not interfere in the election process which was just concluded.

The High Court also dismissed another petition filed by Chevireddy Mohith Reddy appealing for re-polling in certain polling booths in the Chandragiri assembly constituency.

On the other hand, Ramakrishna Reddy moved the high court appealing for anticipatory bail on Thursday. The counsel for the MLA, Sanepalli Ramalakshmana Reddy, moving the lunch motion petition for anticipatory bail, stated that the police filed a criminal case against the MLA based on a video released by the opposition TDP leader Nara Lokesh.

It is not proper on the part of the police to go ahead to arrest the MLA without issuing the mandatory notice. The advocate also pointed out that it was not proper on the part of the Election Commission of India to issue orders to arrest the MLA. The High Court directed police not to take any punitive action till 10 am on June 5 and posted the next hearing for June 6. It is learnt that the ECI will move the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order.

The advocate reminded the court in the petition that the polling officer stated that the EVM was destroyed by unidentified persons and the First Information Report filed by the police also mentioned the same.

The whole case was based on a video posted on the X by the Opposition leader Nara Lokesh, he said and pointed out that it might be a morphed video. The police might have served a notice to the MLA since the case registered attracted the jail term of less than seven years.

However, the high court stated that it would hear the petition later. On the other hand, the TDP is now filing an implead petition in the court on behalf of their Macherla polling agent N Seshagiri Rao who suffered head injuries.