The controversy over reinstatement of retired IAS officer Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission is turning curiouser and curiouser with every passing day.
Two days after Nimmagadda approached Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan requesting that he be restored as the SEC as per the directions of the state high court, the Governor on Thursday issued a direction to the government to follow the high court orders.
A communique from Raj Bhavan said in pursuance of the representation given by Nimmagadda “in pursuance of the instructions of the high court in the contempt case given on July 17, the Governor has been pleased to direct the government for taking necessary action as per the directions of the court in its order dated May 29.”
The communique from the Raj Bhavan triggered an uproar in the political circles and everybody thought the Jagan Mohan Reddy government would have no option but to reappoint Nimmagadda as SEC.
It was predicted that the government might issue reinstatement orders by evening.
However, the Jagan government chose to ignore the Governor’s directions and instead, gave it a different interpretation. According to sources in Tadepalli, the Governor had nowhere asked the government to reinstate Nimmagadda.
“It is not direction to restore him. It is direction to implement the decision of high court. The Advocate General says since the high court direction has been challenged in the Supreme Court, Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar cannot be restored as SEC,” the sources said.
In fact, the Jagan government had moved the Supreme Court again on Monday, seeking a stay on the high court taking up the contempt petition filed by Nimmagadda.
It argued that the high court could not take up such a contempt petition at a time when the matter was pending before the apex court.
