The episode of former Andhra Pradesh state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar has taken an interesting turn on Friday with the Supreme Court refusing to grant stay on the state high court taking up the contempt petition filed by him against the Jagan government for not reinstating him.
The Supreme Court also reportedly made some serious comments as to why the state government was not implementing the high court orders and why the Governor was forced to write to the government to implement the orders.
Wondering why the issue is being dodged, the SC asked the government to implement the high court orders by next Friday. It also asked Ramesh Kumar to file his counter by then.
Now, the question is what the Jagan government would do now. Will it reinstate Ramesh Kumar as the SEC again? Or will it file a review petition in the Supreme Court?
Sources say Jagan does not want to see Ramesh Kumar to be in the post under any circumstances since it is a matter of prestige for him.
Having addressed his first press conference only to target Ramesh Kumar and making all sorts of charges against him, it will be an insult to Jagan to see Ramesh Kumar back in the SEC seat.
Secondly, Ramesh Kumar also went to an extreme length and made wild allegations against the government directly. So, Jagan will not allow the local body elections to happen under Ramesh Kumar’s regime.
Source said the Supreme Court had not directly asked the government to appoint Ramesh Kumar as the SEC.
The case pertaining to challenging the May 29 high court order is still pending in the Supreme Court. At the same time, the contempt case in the high court will take some more time.
If the Supreme Court directly gives an order asking the Jagan government to reappoint Ramesh Kumar as SEC, it can file a review petition in the SC.
“So, the case will be dragged as long as it can. Ramesh Kumar’s term will end by April next. Even if the case is settled by then and the SEC is reinstated by the Governor, Jagan will not allow the elections to happen till Ramesh Kumar relinquishes the office,” sources said.