The social media is circulating three names to be appointed as the State Election Commissioner in Andhra Pradesh.
Incumbent, Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, is due for retirement on March 30, 2021, just a week away from now.
The social media is circulating the names of former chief secretary Nilam Sahwney, retired IAS officers Premchandra Reddy and Samuel.
It is clear that chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy favours Nilam Sawhney to the other two and their names were reportedly sent to the Governor only to satisfy the procedures.
If these names are to be taken seriously, the question comes to the mind about Justice Kanagaraj, a retired judge of Madras High Court.
Justice Kanagaraj was appointed as State Election Commissioner on April 11, 2020 by the state government, after the AP Panchayat Raj Act was amended.
The government amended the Act reducing the term of office of the SEC from five years to three years. The government also favoured appointment of a retired High Court judge as the SEC.
Accordingly, Justice Kanagaraj was flown from Chennai to Vijayawada and assumed charge of the SEC, considering that Nimmagadda's tenure, according to the Ordinance, was over.
Justice Kanagaraj was given a house in Vijayawada and provided with basic infrastructure, including the staff.
However, Nimmagadda challenged the Ordinance and the AP high court, squashed the Ordinance, restoring Nimmagadda as the SEC.
Following this, Justice Kanagaraj disappeared. There was a news about his house rent in Vijayawada and it was believed to have been settled by the government.
If the news now doing rounds in social media are to be believed and Jagan Mohan Reddy had recommended the name of retired IAS officers as the SEC?
What would happen to the Ordinance? What would happen to the tall claims of the YSR Congress leaders and ministers who justified the appointment of a retired high court judge and not a retired IAS office?
