EC summons Andhra Chief Secretary and DGP over post-poll violence
EC summons Andhra Chief Secretary and DGP over post-poll violence
The Election Commission has summoned Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy and DGP Harish Kumar Gupta to Delhi to provide explanations regarding their inability to control post-poll violence and initiate pre-emptive measures in the wake of clashes between the TDP and the YSRCP.
AP’s special observer Rammohan Mishra visited the violence-hit Palnadu and submitted a report to CEC Rajiv Kumar, who is personally monitoring the situation. The chief secretary and the DGP were huddled together along with ADG (intelligence) Kumar Vishwajeet on Wednesday ahead of their visit to Delhi. Incidentally, both the ADG (intelligence) and the DGP were appointed a few days back by the EC after the TDP complained that their predecessors were being partisan.
The administration has now imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 in Palnadu district and Tadipatri in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. Section 144 of the CrPc was imposed in Narasaraopet, Macherla, Vinukonda, Sattenapalli, Pedakurapadu and Gurazala constituencies in Palnadu.
Collector and District Magistrate of Palnadu, Siva Sankar Lotheti, issued prohibitory orders following directives from the Election Commission of India banning “unlawful assemblies, flying of drones and holding public meetings until further orders.” Besides, gatherings of more than three people were also prohibited from moving around together.
In Sattenapalli, police directed traders to shut down their shops for two days. Three YSRCP MLAs were also placed under house arrest to restore law and order in the district. They include Macherla MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy and his brother Venkata Rami Reddy, Narasaraopet MLA Gopireddy Srinivasa Reddy and Gurazala MLA Kasu Mahesh Reddy. Additional forces have been deployed in areas that witnessed violence.
Tadipatri in Anantapur was also placed under Section 144 after followers of TDP leader JC Prabhakar and his son Ashmith Reddy hoisted the TDP flag on the residence of sitting YSRCP MLA Kethireddy Pedda Reddy on Tuesday. In the ensuing melee, the circle inspector was injured and a police vehicle was damaged. Video clips showed TDP activists assembling at the rooftop of the YSRCP MLA’s residence and hoisting the flag while crackers were being burst.
Asmith Reddy is in the fray with the TDP nominating him for the Assembly seat. The police have now escorted the three leaders elsewhere and imposed Section 144 to restore law and order. AP CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena pinpointed four areas where violence erupted — Tadipatri, Macherla, Chandragiri and Narasaraopet. He said 715 police pickets have been set up, and in consultation with the DGP, special measures, including the imposition of Section 144, were initiated to restore law and order. Further investigations will be carried out and legal actions will be taken against the guilty.
Meanwhile in AP, the final poll percentage, including postal ballots, was announced as 81.86 per cent. The highest voting percentage was recorded in the Ongole LS seat (87.06 per cent) and the lowest in Vizag LS (71.11 per cent) seat. In the Assembly elections, the highest voting percentage was recorded at Darsi (90.91 per cent) and lowest in Tirupati (63.32 per cent).
“This is the highest voting percentage recorded compared to other states during the four phases of elections,” Meena said.