SC Issues Notices In Defected MLAs Case

The Supreme Court today addressed the petition filed by BRS working president K T Rama Rao and party MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy seeking the disqualification of ten BRS legislators who had defected to the Congress.

The bench, comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih, issued notices to all respondents, including the Legislature Secretary, and mandated that they submit their responses by March 22.

The court scheduled the next hearing for March 25.

Senior counsel Aryama Sundaram, representing the BRS, highlighted that a complaint had been lodged with the Assembly Speaker regarding the defected MLAs for several months now. He also pointed out that a division bench of the Telangana High Court had overturned a prior verdict by a single judge concerning the matter.

This legal action stems from events following the December 2024 Assembly elections, where ten BRS MLAs - Danam Nagender, Kadiyam Srihari, Kale Yadayya, Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy, Tellam Venkat Rao, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, M Sanjay Kumar, Prakash Goud, Gudem Mahipal Reddy and Arekapudi Gandhi - defected to the Congress. The BRS subsequently filed disqualification petitions with the Assembly Speaker, citing the anti-defection law.

In November 2024, the Telangana High Court's division bench set aside a single-judge order that had directed the Speaker to decide on the disqualification petitions within a specific timeframe. The division bench stated that the Speaker was expected to adjudicate such matters within a "reasonable time", but refrained from imposing a strict deadline.

During a Supreme Court hearing on February 10, 2025, the bench expressed concern over the prolonged delay in addressing the disqualification petitions.

Justice Gavai said, "In a democracy, the rights of the parties cannot be permitted to be frustrated."

The court sought clarity on what constituted a "reasonable time" for the Speaker to make a decision, underscoring the importance of timely resolution in such cases.

The upcoming hearings are anticipated to provide further clarity on the status of these legislators and the enforcement of anti-defection laws in the country.