'Mockery of system': Supreme Court on interim protection to YSRCP MLA who smashed EVM and VVPAT
New Delhi/IBNS: The Supreme Court has slammed the granting of an interim protection to Andhra Pradesh MLA P Ramakrishna Reddy, who was caught on camera smashing EVM on ground, media reports said.
In a widely circulated video on social media, the YSRCP leader was seen backed by a few supporters barging into a polling booth, taking the EVM and VVPAT machine off the table and smashing them on ground.
Reddy received protection with the high court restraining police not to act against him till 10 am on June 5, the day after the Lok Sabha poll results were announced.
Calling the interim protection a "mockery of the system", Justice Arvind Kumar said as quoted by NDTV, "(How can the court give) interim protection in such cases... if we do not stay in this order, it will amount to mockery of the system..."
"Are we being made fun of? This is a sheer joke. How can so many enter a polling booth?"
"It was a live web telecast... the complainant said both EVM and VVPAT were snatched and destroyed... eight people (were) inside the polling booth. Where is the question of bail?"
The Supreme Court has barred Reddy from entering the voting counting booth in his constituency.
The top court passed the order hearing the plea filed by TDP Namboodiri Seshagiri Rao.
It has ordered the high court to hear the cases against Reddy listed for Thursday.
Reddy, who is charged under multiple sections, can go to jail for seven years if he gets convicted.
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