Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Supreme Court has ordered the immediate reinstatement of Dr Veena Kumar as the acting Director of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AH&VS) in Panjim.
The directive came from a Bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan, who stated that Dr Kumar would continue in the role until further notice.
Dr Kumar, the most senior officer in the department, had initially been appointed to the post but was later replaced by Deputy Director Dr Nitin Naik, following a recommendation from Animal Husbandry Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar. Disputing her removal, Dr Kumar challenged the decision in the High Court of Bombay at Goa, which declined to intervene. She subsequently filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the apex court, represented by Advocate Salvador Santosh Rebello.
During the hearing, the State’s counsel, Advocate Abhay Anturkar, referred to an affidavit previously submitted to the High Court and requested additional time to file a counter affidavit. The Bench, however, questioned the legitimacy of Dr Kumar’s removal, suggesting it appeared to be influenced by external pressures.
The Court noted that Dr Kumar had been appointed by the government on June 4, 2024, and that the State had not provided a satisfactory explanation for her replacement. As a result, the Court suspended the June 20, 2024 order from the Department of Personnel appointing Dr Naik, and reinstated Dr Kumar.
The case is scheduled for further hearing on July 22, with the Court granting the State time to file its response.
