Justice V. Kanagaraj, retired high court judge of Madras Court, has take charge as the new State Election Commissioner (SEC) of Andhra Pradesh. The new SEC has replaced N. Ramesh Kumar following a row over postponement of local body elections. The government late Friday removed Ramesh Kumar by issuing an ordinance to reduce SEC”s term from five years to three years.
This followed nearly a month long row after Ramesh Kumar postponed the local body elections citing precautionary measures required to check the spread of coronavirus, triggering angry reaction from YSR Congress Party government, which accused him of acting at the behest of opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan on Friday issued an ordinance, amending Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, 1994. The ordinance brought down the term of SEC from five years to three years, thus abruptly ending the term of Ramesh Kumar who was appointed in 2016. It also has a provision to re-appoint the SEC for another term of three years.
The ordinance also changed the eligibility for SEC. According to it, the governor on the recommendation of the government shall appoint a person, who has held an office of the judge of a high court, as State Election Commissioner. Ramesh Kumar”s removal capped nearly a month-long row between YSR Congress Party government and Ramesh Kumar after the latter postponed the local body elections.
IANS
