The YSR Congress party government on Friday submitted a detailed affidavit to the Andhra Pradesh high court defending the appointment of new State Election Commissioner, replacing former SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar.
In the affidavit, the government explained the reasons for the appointment of new SEC, stating that it was part of the electoral reforms in the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, which has been long overdue. The changes were discussed well in advance and were intimated to the Centre as well, it said.
The government said a conscious decision had been taken to appoint retired judge of high court as the SEC as part of the reforms process. The ordinance was promulgated only to ensure free and fair conduct of the local body elections.
The government also told the court that in many states, the term of state election commissioners was three years, whereas it was five years in AP till recently. The term of SEC was reduced after observing the functioning of SECs in other states.
The government also brushed aside the allegations of violence in the local body elections, which promoted Ramesh Kumar to issue orders transferring the SPs and collectors and taking action against the other police officials. There were only 88 such incidents in 2020, compared to 221 incidents in the last local body elections held in 2014.
The affidavit said NImmagadda had made wild and baseless allegations against the government and the police machinery in the capacity of SEC.
“There is no truth in his allegations that the government had deliberately removed him from the post through an ordinance,” the affidavit said.
