VIJAYAWADA: A day after dismissing Joint Director JV Saiprasad on disciplinary grounds, State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar surrendered SEC secretary Vani Mohan to the government, stating that her services are not required to the Commission.

He wrote a letter to Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das to this effect on Tuesday and issued relieving orders to the senior officer. However, when the State Election Commission was contacted, officials refused to confirm or deny the news.

On Monday, the SEC, in its proceedings against Joint Director JV Sai Prasad, said the disciplinary action was for taking unauthorised leave and trying to influence co-workers to take leave, so as to disrupt the functioning of the State election commission.

However, the action against the senior IAS officer posted as secretary to the SEC was not explained publicly while surrendering her to the State government.

It may be recalled that when Ramesh Kumar self-reinstated as the SEC following a High Court order, even before he was officially reinstated, he had asked the then standing counsel Prabhakar to resign immediately so that he could make a new appointment.

Ramesh Kumar’s latest decisions have raised several eyebrows. Criticising his action, advisor to the government (public affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy described them as “arbitrary and dictatorial”. He said Ramesh Kumar was acting more like a “faction leader than a responsible official”.

Ramesh acting like a faction leader: Sajjala

Advisor to the government Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy has described the actions of the SEC as “arbitrary and dictatorial”. He said Ramesh Kumar was acting more like a “faction leader than a responsible official”.