With the AP local body polls around the corner, the appointment of a senior IAS officer as the SEC Secretary has kicked up a storm. It is known that a post in the election commission fell vacant after SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar had surrendered Vani Mohan to the state government. Since then, though the SEC had been requesting the AP Government to appoint a new secretary, there was no response from the latter. Earlier, the SEC had sought the Government to suggest names of three officials for the post of secretary in the Election Commission. In response, the AP Government recommended the names of officials – GSRKR Vijaya Kumar, K Kanna Babu and P Raja Babu.
However, the SEC did not appoint any of the three officials to the post and instead as the post was still vacant, appointed senior IAS officer Maddada Ravichandra as the SEC Secretary. On the contrary, the AP Government on learning about Ravichandra’s appointment by Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar immediately announced him as the special secretary to the government in order to monitor Covid19 vaccination. Now, this led to a fresh controversy between the AP Government and the SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar.
Will Panchayat Polls be held without Secretary?
Looks like the AP Gram Panchayat polls will be held without the appointment of SEC Secretary. On the other hand, the YSRCP Government mulls roping in an official who is in favour of the ruling party. While the SEC fears that appointing officials who are recommended by the government might lead to information being leaked out. This is why there has been much hullabaloo over the appointment of a secretary. On the other hand, it is clear that the AP Government is reluctant to appoint those officials suggested by the State Election Commissioner. Even the SEC is against appointing officials suggested by the AP Government. As per latest reports, the SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar has even barred the AP CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s Principal Secretary Praveen Prakash from interacting with Collectors and SPs till the completion of local body elections.
