Telangana High Court Issues Notices to Assembly Speaker and Seven Defected MLAs
The Telangana High Court on Wednesday issued formal notices to Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar and seven Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) who were originally elected on a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) ticket but allegedly defected to the ruling Congress party. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin directed the respondents to file their counters in response to petitions filed by BRS MLAs challenging the speaker's decision to dismiss disqualification petitions against the defected legislators.
Details of the Petitions and Respondents
The petitions before the court specifically target MLAs T Prakash Goud, Venkat Rao Tellam, Arikepudi Gandhi, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, Kale Yadaiah, Parige (Pocharam) Srinivas Reddy, and Danam Nagender. The petitioners are seeking a stay on the speaker's decision regarding the disqualification petitions filed against these MLAs and have requested the court to call for relevant records from the speaker's office. In a related development, BJP MLA A Maheshwar Reddy also filed a petition in the High Court against Danam Nagender. The bench has directed that this matter be tagged along with Nagender's earlier case and adjourned all proceedings to April 16 for further hearing.
Arguments Presented by Petitioners' Counsel
During the hearing in Hyderabad, the counsel representing the petitioners presented a detailed argument highlighting the public nature of the MLAs' defection. The counsel contended that the respondent MLAs officially joined the Congress party in the presence of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, an event that was broadcast live on television and extensively documented across various media platforms. The counsel emphasized that the defected members were seen wearing Congress party kanduvas (scarves) and later admitted in interviews that they had switched political allegiances.
Furthermore, the counsel argued that these MLAs actively participated in Congress public meetings and encouraged others to join the party. Specific instances cited included Danam Nagender contesting the parliament election on a Congress ticket and Pocharam Srinivas Reddy being appointed as an advisor to the government with cabinet status. The counsel added that Srinivas Reddy publicly admitted his appointment was a promised incentive for joining the Congress party.
Allegations of Procedural Irregularities
The petitioners' counsel raised serious concerns about the handling of the disqualification petitions. It was argued that the counsel who appeared for the speaker in both the Supreme Court and High Court had guided the speaker during the proceedings, yet the disqualification petitions were never heard in a judicial functioning. "Despite these public developments, disqualification petitions against the members were all rejected by the assembly speaker on the same day. Moreover, all the dismissal orders were nearly identical in wording, differing only by the name of the legislator," the counsel added, suggesting a lack of individual consideration.
Speaker's Defense and Court's Decision
In response, the standing counsel for the Telangana state legislature, appearing on behalf of the speaker, informed the bench that the speaker, acting as a tribunal, must maintain constitutional neutrality in such matters. After recording all submissions from both sides, the bench adjourned the matter, setting the stage for a crucial hearing on April 16 that could have significant implications for political defection laws in the state.
