Andhra Pradesh HC asks Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar to be reinstated as SEC in blow to Jagan govt

Andhra Pradesh High Court has caused much embarrassment to the Jagan Reddy govt and asked Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar to be reappointed as Andhra Pradesh SEC. Jagan govt had removed him in April.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday dealt a blow to the Jagan Reddy government and set aside a government ordinance that removed Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as the State Election Commissioner (SEC).

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has set aside the ordinance that amended the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act to reduce the tenure, eligibility and method of appointment of the State Election Commissioner. The tenure was reduced to three years by the government, which the court has rejected.

Andhra Pradesh high court has directed the Jagan Reddy government to reinstate Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as State Election Commissioner.

Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar was reappointed on Friday itself as the court order came into effect immediately. The officer told ANI, “I have resumed charge. I will discharge my duties fairly and impartially as I did in the past and as mandated.”

Ramesh Kumar was removed unceremoniously by the Jaganmohan government and was replaced by retired Justice V. Kanagraj in April.

Opposition parties BJP and TDP have hailed the high court’s decision which came as a big embarrassment for the Jagan government.