A former MLA from Andhra Pradesh has been arrested for allegedly damaging an Electronic Voting Machine unit during the elections in the state. Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, then MLA from YSR Congress, was arrested after the Andhra Pradesh High Court turned down his appeal for pre-arrest bail.

While hearing his appeal, the High Court said those entrusted with public office are expected to uphold exemplary standards of conduct.

The Election Commission had considered the incident not just a criminal act “but also an egregious attack on the democratic process,” and decided to take exemplary action, the Commission said in a statement.

On May 13, around 12.30 pm, Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy — who was the sitting MLA from Macherla assembly constituency — had entered a polling station with his supporters and vandalized an EVM and VVPAT machine. The incident was recorded in the web camera installed by the election authorities. The polling station was considered a critical polling station. Several incidents of violence were reported from the constituency the same day, with his direct and indirect involvement, the police said.

“EVMs are central to ensuring free and fair elections, which are the cornerstone of any democracy. Damaging these machines undermines the integrity of the electoral process, potentially disenfranchising voters and casting doubt on the legitimacy of the election results,” the Commission had said.

Deciding to take exemplary action, the Commission had ordered the arrest of the MLA.

A case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and the Representation of the Peoples Act 1951.

By that time Mr Reddy was on the run and was located only after he approached the court for bail to prevent arrest.

Hyderabad:

A video titled “Congress MLA breaks voting machine due to fear of an impending defeat” (translated from Malayalam) has gone viral on social media showing several men smashing an EVM (electronic voting machine) inside a polling booth in Andhra Pradesh.

The 32-second clip posted by an X user featured the logo of the mainstream Malayalam news channel Asianet News from May 22, 2024. (Archive)

The post was captioned “Footage of MLA breaking EVM at a polling booth in Andhra Pradesh.”

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading. The video shows YSRCP legislator P Ramakrishna Reddy vandalising an EVM in the Macharla constituency of the Palnadu district in Andhra Pradesh.

A reverse image search of the video’s keyframes has revealed that several mainstream news portals as well as local news channels in Andhra Pradesh have also reported the incident. NDTV covered the incident under the title ‘On Camera, Andhra MLA Flings VVPAT To Ground In Polling Booth,’ where they reported that the Election Commission (ECI) stated that the MLA was captured vandalising EVMs in seven polling centres.

In the CCTV footage, Reddy is seen forcefully entering a polling station, seizing control of the voting device, and throwing it on the ground. A local Telugu news portal reported that the incident occurred on May 13 of this year during the polling for both Assembly and Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh.

The same video featuring the Asianet’s logo is available on their YouTube channel with the title ‘After the footage went viral, the Election Commission announced an inquiry against the YSRCP MLA’.

While the Election Commission (EC) has instructed the Andhra Pradesh chief electoral officer Mukesh Kumar Meena to pursue criminal action against him, Reddy has reportedly gone into hiding since the video went viral. According to reports from The Indian Express, sources indicate that the MLA has crossed over into Telangana to evade police action.

Hence, the claim that a Congress MLA vandalised a voting machine is false.

(This story was originally published by NewsMeter, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective.)

Ambati Rayudu interview: On IPL 2024, his stint at CSK and dabbling in politics

A lot can change in a year; Ambati Rayudu knows that.

Last May, he was jumping with joy at the Chennai Super Kings’ dugout in Ahmedabad, having contributed to one of IPL’s most memorable finals that the men in yellow won off the last ball. Late into the night, MS Dhoni would receive the trophy and hand it over to a beaming Rayudu in his last IPL match as a cricket player.

This May, Rayudu — now a commentator with Star Sports and talking about the game with as much passion as he once played it — was desolate, as he saw his former team get knocked out of TATA IPL 2024 on a rainy Saturday evening in Bangalore. In a video that is now going viral among cricket fans, Rayudu sits, his face buried in his hands, in disbelief.

Rayudu was showing his emotions, like he has always done. “Yes, I am an emotional being,” he tells me over a virtual conversation, a day before the CSK-RCB match, “I’ve always wanted things to be fair, and always fought for what I believe is right.”

Currently, the six-time IPL champion is busy with a hectic commentary stint. It is not something he would have fancied when he was a player, but Rayudu is enjoying it nevertheless. “I didn’t know if I would be good at it, because I hardly spoke during my playing days. But, with friends and family, I used to love discussing cricket. I pride myself as being a good student of the game and trying to understand its various intricacies. Broadcasting and commentating are new to me and I’m slowly trying to understand how things work, though many a time, I speak from the heart. I’m just happy I am still connected to the sport.”

Batting for CSK

IPL 2024 might have ended on a sour note for CSK, but Dhoni and Jadeja — the two men who were at the crease during the last moments of the recent Bangalore game — have been Chennai’s favourite IPL stars for many years now. Recalling the moments leading up to the famous CSK win of 2023, Rayudu says, “Remember Dhoni lifting Jadeja after he won us the game? We all know what CSK means to Dhoni, but it proved what it meant to Jadeja, who has been the team’s go-to man, be it batting, bowling or fielding.”

Rayudu was a star with Mumbai Indians in the earlier editions of IPL but has been vocal about his support for Chennai Super Kings, with which he had a successful stint. So, what is the amazing team environment that everyone raves about? “CSK is family. They let you be. At CSK, you are treated just the way you are treated at home; I’m not saying there is no pressure to win, but it’s the way you are treated at home, with parents or siblings. Every player feels like he belongs. The management and the support staff never speaks negatively and never puts you down. Even players who are not playing are constantly looked after; when that happens, you want to give your best. Say, if a player’s capacity is to score a 50 off 20 balls, due to this environment, you would like to do it in 18. This is why many players, who might not have played so well for other franchises, bloom here.” What also helps is the loyalty factor among players; someone like an MS Dhoni has been with the team since its inception. “Even after his retirement, I’m sure he will be associated with the team in a major capacity.”

Rayudu has been associated with Indian cricket for a long time — playing for India was the most memorable moment of his career — but he feels that the IPL, conceptualised in 2008, has brought the game closer to fans. “They understand T-20 cricket better, and they identify more with the players. The league is also a game-changer in terms of identifying talent. Previously, even if you were a talented player, you could get lost in the system if you are not identified by a certain set of selectors. But the IPL has been a great platform and throws the spotlight on players; a cricketer like Ashutosh Sharma (Punjab Kings) might not have been identified if he played only for the Railways. That’s the beauty of the IPL.”

The cricketer also dabbled in politics for a while, and this election season, he actively supported popular actor and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan. He hopes to play an active role in public life in the future. “I believe sport can be a unifying factor in bringing people together,” says Rayudu, who also runs a foundation in Guntur that helps people from disadvantaged sections of society,“I believe equal opportunities should be available; I have suffered in the past due to a lot of factors. I hope that a player, even without any godfather, should be able to play the sport just based on his or her talent. I’m looking forward to playing an important role in developing Andhra Pradesh as a better place to live in.”

Watch TATA IPL playoffs and final this week on the Star Sports Network

Konaseema, Andhra Pradesh:

 Four people have been killed and several others were injured after a speeding bus rammed into a tractor in Andhra Pradesh’s Konaseema district.

The accident took place on Tuesday night near Udimudi village under P Gannavaram mandal in the district.

According to eyewitnesses, the Road Transport Corporation (RTC) bus collided with a tractor carrying labourers, causing the fatalities.

The impact resulted in the death of three people on the spot, while one person died en route to the hospital.

The injured are being treated at Kothapeta Government Hospital.

“The deceased have been identified as Nookapalli Siva (35), Vasamsetti Surya Prakash (50), Veeri Katlayya (45), and Chilakalapudi Panda (age unknown),” police said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The voter turnout in phase four of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections stood at 62.84 per cent at 8 pm on Monday against 65.51 per cent in 2019, a dip of over 2.5 percentage points.

However, the Election Commission said a large number of voters were still in the queue at polling stations even after 6 pm, indicating the turnout would go up.

As many as 96 seats went for polls in the fourth phase. After the latest phase, polling has completed in 379 seats across 23 states and Union territories.

Polling also completed in state assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the turnout recorded in phase four stood at 65.51 per cent. Then, polling was held in 71 seats across nine states in phase four.

In phase one of the ongoing general elections, 66.14 per cent turnout was recorded. In the 2019 polls, the turnout in the first phase stood at 69.43 per cent.

In the second phase of elections held on April 26, the turnout was recorded at 66.71 per cent against 69.64 per cent in phase two of 2019 polls.

The updated voter turnout figures for the third phase of polling in the Lok Sabha elections stood at 65.68 per cent. In the third phase of 2019 general elections, the turnout stood at 68.4 per cent.

The poll panel said as per the laid down procedure, scrutiny of election papers takes place one day after the polling day in the presence of candidates or their authorised polling agents.

The decision to conduct repoll, if any, is also taken thereafter. Some polling parties return after polling day depending on the geographical or logistical conditions.

“The Commission will also, after the scrutiny and depending on the number/ schedule of repoll, publish the updated voter turnout along with gender wise breakup by May 17,” the EC said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hyderabad:

In a brazen show of VIP culture, an Andhra Pradesh MLA slapped a voter, reportedly after he had objected to the legislator jumping the queue at a polling booth in Guntur district this morning.

In a video that has now gone viral, Tenali’s YSR Congress Party MLA A Sivakumar is seen approaching the voter and slapping him across the face. The voter returns the blow, and the MLA’s aides join him in launching an all-out assault on the voter. Other voters waiting for their turn are seen trying to stop the assault as the MLA’s aides keep hitting the voter. In the 10-second video, no security personnel can be seen intervening to rescue the voter.

Voter who objected to #Guntur District #TenaliMLA#Sivakumar jumping queue, was slapped by him & voter returned in kind; ugly show of political musclepower as the @ysrcp MLA candidate’s henchmen joined attack on voter #BoothViolence#ElectionsWithNDTV#AndhraPradeshElections2024pic.twitter.com/Z5wK0enrWK

— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) May 13, 2024

It is not clear what exactly happened before the exchange of blows began, but the MLA’s attack on the voter has come under strong criticism on social media.

Andhra Pradesh’s 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly seats are voting today. The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party government is up against an alliance of the BJP and the N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party.

TDP spokesperson Jyothsna Tirunagi told NDTV said the incident captures the ruling party’s desperation “because they know they are losing”. “This is ridiculous. The retaliation by the voter shows that people are not going to tolerate this nonsense anymore.”

YSR Congress Party MLA Abdul Hafeez Khan has said they are reviewing the viral video and alleged a conspiracy to defame the ruling party. On its social media handles, the party has shared visuals of its injured supporters and workers and alleged that TDP members had attacked them.

The viral video comes against the backdrop of a high-octane poll campaign in Andhra Pradesh, with leaders of TDP and YSR Congress Party exchanging strong words in the run-up to the polls. Tempers are also running high because both parties have a lot at stake in this election. Mr Reddy, who has been in the saddle for a decade now, wants to repeat a victory in these polls. On the other side is Mr Naidu, who has joined ranks with the BJP in a strong push to make a comeback to power. 

Vijayawada:

Five members of a family including a financially struggling doctor were found dead in their home at Vijayawada, police said on Wednesday.

While four were found with slash injuries, one hung to death, said Vijayawada East deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Adhiraj Singh Rana, adding that the bodies were discovered by them on Tuesday morning and suspected that the crime might have occurred on Monday night.

D Srinivas (40) was found hanging while his wife D Usha Rani (38), two minor children–boy and a girl– and his mother D Ramanamma (70) were found with their jugular veins slashed, police said.

Police are investigating if Srinivas, an orthopedician, had first killed the four and then died by suicide.

“He was facing financial troubles and we are verifying that. Recently, he sold his hospital,” Rana told PTI.

According to the DCP, police are also looking into Srinivas’ financial issues.

Incidentally, on Monday night, the doctor handed over his car keys to a neighbour, requesting him to pass them on to his brother. He told the neighbour that all of five of them were going out.

Meanwhile, police are probing the case after registering a murder case under IPC Section 302 and also a suicide case under CrPC Section 174.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hyderabad::

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has sparked a row with his comment today that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph was removed from the cover of the joint manifesto of arch rival Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party “after a call from Delhi”. Leaders of the NDA termed his comment an attempt to “create a rift” within the alliance. What was not explained was a video of ceremony to release the manifesto, where BJP state in-charge Siddharth Nath Singh could be seen refusing to accept a copy.

Speaking later, Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “In an earlier version of the manifesto, photos of Chandrababu Naidu were prominently displayed alongside that of PM Modi”.

“But before Mr Naidu unveiled his manifesto today, he received a call from the BJP headquarters, saying having PM Modi’s photo on it is not acceptable. This incident only serves to highlight how unattainable his promises are,” he added.

Mr Naidu, however, issued a clarification later. The NDA, he said, has a manifesto at the national level. The TDP and Jana Sena are now releasing this manifesto in consultation with the BJP. The manifesto contains the views of all the parties, he said.    

Mr Naidu had returned to the NDA earlier this year — nearly six years after he walked out protesting against the BJP’s refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. His return was to keep at bay the ruling YSR Congress of Mr Reddy.

There is expectation that the alliance with the BJP and Pawan Kalyan would consolidate the votes of those disillusioned with the Jagan Reddy government.

Mr Naidu has said at a rally that this year will be his last election if the Telugu Desam Party is not voted to power.

The TDP which won 15 of the state’s 25 seats, was down to three in 2019 after its exit from the NDA.

New Delhi:

An NRI woman, originally from Andhra Pradesh, and her daughter have died in an accident in Portland, USA. The family was on way to a temple to offer prayers on the occasion of the birthday of woman, who had turned 32.

Kamatham Gitanjali was from Konakanchi in Krishna district. Her relatives said she had been brain dead since the accident, which took place on Sunday morning.

Cops said Gitanjali was driving southbound on South Meridian Road and failed to stop at a stop sign. Her car, a Ford, collided with the another car headed westbound on Highway 211, driven by 18-year-old Benjamin Hernandez-Lopez of Canby.

Gitanjali’s daughter Hanika,5, died on the spot, relatives said. Gitanjali, who was seriously injured, was airlifted to a hospital and was later declared dead by the doctors.

Her husband Naresh and son Braman were also injured and are undergoing treatment at the hospital. Braman sustained a broken leg and is undergoing surgery

Geetanjali and her husband have been staying in the US for around 10 years. They were software engineers.