The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken a stern stance on the post-poll violence that erupted in Andhra Pradesh following the recent elections. On May 16, the ECI summoned the state’s chief secretary, K S Jawahar Reddy, and director general of police (DGP), Harish Kumar Gupta, to New Delhi for a detailed explanation regarding the failure to contain the violence and the steps being taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
According to a senior election commission official, the summoning of these senior officials aims to address the significant post-poll violence that occurred despite the model code of conduct still being in force. The ECI has instructed the chief secretary and the DGP to ensure that such violence does not persist and to provide insights into preemptive measures being implemented.
The post-poll violence in Andhra Pradesh unfolded against the backdrop of all 25 Lok Sabha constituencies and 175 assembly constituencies in the state going to polls on May 13. Reports of violence surfaced on Tuesday and Wednesday, sparking concerns and drawing the attention of the election authorities.
As reported by The Hindu, the scale of violence witnessed in this election was notably higher compared to the 2019 general elections. Both the ruling YSR Congress, led by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, and opposition parties have traded accusations of resorting to violence during the electoral process.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) alleged that their poll agents were abducted by members of the YSR Congress. Instances of such alleged abductions were reported in the Punganur assembly constituency. Conversely, the ruling party accused the TDP of engaging in violent activities and disruptions during voting.
One notable incident involved YSR Congress’ Tenali Assembly candidate, Annabattuni Siva Kumar, who was captured on camera slapping a voter protesting against him jumping the queue. This incident led to a physical altercation between the candidate’s supporters and the voter. Subsequently, the ECI intervened and ordered Siva Kumar’s house arrest until the end of polling, as reported by The Hindu.
Reports from the chief electoral officer Mukesh Kumar Meena highlighted sporadic violence across various parts of the state. Instances of violence included altercations leading to polling halts in Kuppam, Railway Koduru, and Macherla, as well as clashes between party supporters in Tadipatri and Gannavaram.
Furthermore, according to The New Indian Express, clashes erupted in Tirupati, Tadipatri, and Palnadu, with incidents of crude bombs being hurled and damage to vehicles reported in Palnadu. The police had to resort to firing rubber bullets to disperse clashing groups. Damage to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) also led to temporary suspensions of polling in certain areas, such as Palnadu district.
The violence escalated to the extent that polling agents were allegedly kidnapped and released only after the intervention of the Election Commission. These incidents underscore the challenges faced by election authorities in ensuring a peaceful electoral process and the urgency of addressing post-poll violence.
Sources By Agencies