In an alleged bid to justify the delay in reinstating TP Senkumar IPS as State Director General of Police (law and Order) in accordance with the Supreme Court order of April 24, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Sunday that court orders could not be implemented in a day’s time but the CPI(M)-led lDF Government would take a decision on the matter without delay.
“Those who hope to see the implementation of a court order within a day’s time may have some problems (with the Government’s stand). I have already clarified our position. As far as law is concerned, the decisions of the Supreme Court are final. The Government has to take into consideration several other things before implementing a court order,” Pinarayi said.
He said that the Government had no confusion as far as the court order in Senkumar affair was concerned. Immed-
iately after the court ordered reinstatement of Senkumar, the Chief Minister had said, “The Government will take the steps warranted by law after studying the court order. let us get a copy of the verdict.”
The Chief Minister’s explanation — that more time was needed for implementing the order — came in the context of Senkumar filing a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against the non-implementation of the April 24 order directing the Government to reinstate him as DGP (law and Order), a position from which he was ousted by the Government on June 1 last year.
According to observers, the Government’s effort is to delay implementation of the court’s directive as far as possible. “The Government is clearly searching for options, which are simply not there. The Apex Court has clearly stated that the reasons cited by the Government for ousting Senkumar are legally invalid,” said a senior lawyer of the Kerala High Court.
Despite the legal advice given by the State law secretary and several other experts that there was no scope for a review petition in the matter and that there was no option but to reinstate Senkumar in his former position, the Government had approached a senior Supreme Court lawyer to see if there was anyway to overcome the order or at least to delay its implementation.
At the same time, there are reports that the Government will within two or three days take the decision to reinstate Senkumar. Sources said that the Cabinet might take the decision at its next meeting on Wednesday. It is also said that the Government could inform the Apex Court about this if Senkumar’s plea came up for consideration before that.
The Supreme Court order has nullified the Government Order of June 1, 2016 removing Senkumar as DGP and installing loknath Behera in that position. In this context, Behera, who is presently holding the additional charge of Vigilance, could be given its full charge and also the position of DGP in charge of administration at the Police headquarters.
Criticising Pinarayi’s statement, State BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan said that the Chief Minister was challenging the legal and judicial system of the country. The only intention of the Government was to delay the maximum possible extent the reinstatement of Senkumar as State police chief, he said.