2 days after Pinarayi said Senkumar can’t be reinstated in a hurry, govt kicks off process

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday told the Assembly that the government is duty bound to implement the Supreme Court order in reinstating TP Senkumar as state police chief. 

"Chief Secretary Nalini Netto has initiated proceedings to reinstate Senkumar based on the Supreme Court directive. The court verdict is final. The government is duty-bound to carry out the order," the CM said. His reply was reportedly in response to  an adjournment motion of the opposition.

The CM also said that the government received the Advocate General's advice on the matter on Monday. 

Just two days earlier, the Kerala CM had said, "A Supreme Court verdict is final in matters of law in the country. This I have said earlier. But the state government has to consider certain other things before implementing the court verdict. An appropriate decision will be taken after examining the verdict. The government has no confusion in this. A court verdict can’t be implemented the very next day.” 

Read: Court verdict can’t be implemented in just a day: Pinarayi Vijayan on Senkumar’s reinstatement

The opposition led by the Congress accused the government of failing to implement the court order and also pointed out that the state has been without a police chief for the past one week. 

There were reports earlier that the government will move the Supreme Court seeking clarity on the order to reinstate Senkumar.

Senkumar, on Saturday, had moved the apex court for initiating contempt of court proceedings against the Chief Secretary for not carrying out the court order. 

On April 24, the Supreme Court had passed a judgement where it ruled that the Kerala government's decision to remove Senkumar from the post of DGP for poor performance was arbitrary and unfair. The CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front had taken the decision immediately after assuming office in May 2016. The government had removed Senkumar from the post contending that there were lapses in the handling of the Puttingal fireworks disaster as well as the case involving the rape and murder of Jisha - a law student from Perumbavoor, while he was the police chief. He was then replaced by Loknath Behra.