Bengaluru: The Kerala government’s humiliation in having to reverse a top-level transfer on court orders was complete on Monday with the state chief secretary apologizing to the Supreme Court and requesting it not to proceed with contempt proceedings.
Kerala’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) government that came to power in May 2016 transferred T.P. Senkumar, the state’s director general of police (law & order).
Senkumar won his case in the Supreme Court, after his petition was dismissed by the Kerala High Court and the Central Administrative Tribunal. The court ordered the state to reinstate Senkumar, but Kerala moved another petition seeking clarity, following which Senkumar filed a contempt of court petition.
Last week, the court rejected the government’s petition and imposed a Rs 25,000 cost on it. The government immediately reinstated Senkumar as DGP (law & order).
Also Read: Kerala govt reinstates T.P. Senkumar as DGP after Supreme Court censure
“I tender my unqualified apology for any aspect on my conduct which this Hon’ble Court construes not to be in accordance with its order,” an affidavit filed by chief secretary Nalini Netto on behalf of the Kerala government said. “I also submit that I have acted expeditiously, and according to legal advice, after duly consulting the Law Secretary and the Advocate General, in the facts and circumstances of the case. Hence, this Hon’ble Court may be pleased to drop the contempt proceedings and pass an order closing the same.”
The contempt proceedings were due to begin Tuesday.
Pressed by the opposition parties to discuss the issue, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan defended the action, saying the government was acting on the advice of its advocate general and other legal hires and has made no mistakes.
He also added that the Rs 25,000 the apex court has asked the state to pay up is not technically a “fine”.