Supreme Court Pushes Telangana Assembly for Decision on Defecting MLAs
The Supreme Court has asked the Telangana Assembly to specify a ‘reasonable period’ for deciding on disqualification pleas against defecting Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs. The matter has been scheduled for hearing on February 10. Following this, speculation about upcoming by-polls in the state has intensified. BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) has urged party leaders to prepare for elections. The BRS had moved the Supreme Court seeking the disqualification of MLAs Tellam Venkat Rao, Kadiyam Srihari, and Danam Nagender.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and AG Masih will hear the case. The court has asked senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Telangana Assembly secretary, to consult the Speaker and provide updates.
The petitions were initially filed in the High Court by KP Vivekanand, Padi Kaushik Reddy (BRS), and A Maheshwar Reddy (BJP). They argued that delays in deciding disqualification pleas could lead to more defections to the ruling party. In addition to the three MLAs, seven other BRS legislators had also joined the ruling party.
In September 2022, a High Court single bench directed the Speaker to schedule a hearing within four weeks to decide on the disqualification petitions. However, in November, the High Court’s division bench overturned this order and stated that the Speaker should act within a ‘reasonable time.’ Dissatisfied with this decision, Kaushik Reddy approached the Supreme Court. The case is now set to be heard on February 10.
BRS leaders remain optimistic about a favorable outcome. They believe previous Supreme Court rulings in Maharashtra and Manipur cases will strengthen their position. KTR, on his social media platform X, expressed confidence, stating that the Congress could no longer protect defectors due to clear legal precedents. “Let us be prepared to fight by-elections soon, my fellow BRS party soldiers,” he urged his party members.
