Having received a setback in the Supreme Court as well, the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government was forced to issue orders reinstating controversial retired IAS officer Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar.
The order was issued by Principal Secretary for Panchayat and Rural Development department Gopala Krishna Dwivedi around midnight on Thursday. A gazette notification was issued subsequently restoring the position of SEC to Ramesh Kumar.
Apparently, the late-night orders were issued following the reports that Ramesh Kumar is planning to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Friday stating that the Jagan government was not complying with the orders.
However, the notification which was signed by Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan said the reinstatement would be subject to the outcome of the state government's plea in the Supreme Court against the high court ruling.
What does it mean? The Jagan government has kept the issue still open and is not willing to accept Ramesh Kumar as the SEC.
Though the orders were issued on his reinstatement following Supreme Court directions, sources said it would be only on paper and it might not hand over the office of SEC completely to Ramesh Kumar.
“May be, the government will not take up any communication with the SEC nor will take any orders from Ramesh Kumar. He will be in his seat for the name sake. The government will take a call only after the Supreme Court gives its final verdict,” sources said.
Ramesh Kumar is expected to resume office on Monday.
It may be recalled that the Jagan government removed Ramesh Kumar through an ordinance on April 10, following his unilateral decision postponing the local body elections on the pretext of Covid-19
. Ramesh Kumar moved the high court which on May 29 struck down the ordinance and directed the government to restore his position as the SEC.
The state government subsequently challenged the high court ruling before the Supreme Court, which refused to stay the high court order. The matter is still pending with the Supreme Court.
