If the reports coming from the power corridors of Andhra Pradesh are to be believed, controversial state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar has been sacked from his post.
According to these reports, the YSR Congress party government headed by chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy issued a confidential order removing Ramesh Kumar from the SEC post on Friday afternoon.
The order follows an ordinance promulgated by the state government changing the terms and conditions of the appointment of the SEC.
Soon after the ordinance got an approval from Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan, the government issued the GO, sources said.
However, the GO has not been disclosed till now, nor was the ordinance promulgated in this regard. The ordinance would be replaced by a bill in the coming assembly session.
Apparently, the Jagan government proposed to appoint a judicial officer as the SEC, instead of a retired or serving bureaucrat.
The judicial officer should be in the rank of a high court judge. The ordinance also seeks to reduce the term of the SEC to three years, instead of existing five years.
Sources said the Jagan government has taken the decision using its discretionary powers after consulting legal experts. However, there are also reports that removal of SEC through an ordinance might not be possible because it is a Constitutional body.
The chief minister has been angry with Ramesh Kumar for postponing the local body elections on the pretext of Coronavirus threat last month and also for recommending transfer of two collectors and SPs, besides disciplinary action against police officials in Macherla and some other parts of the state.
He accused Ramesh Kumar of indirectly helping TDP led by N Chandrababu Naidu as both belonged to the same caste.
Subsequently, Ramesh Kumar had written a letter to the Centre seeking additional security to him and his family, as he alleged there was a threat to his life from the ruling party leaders.
So far, the government has not disclosed the GOs or ordinance; and Ramesh Kumar, too, did not come out with any statement in this regard.
