SC Stays Telangana HC's Order On MLC Nomination

The Supreme Court today granted relief to the Telangana government in the Governor's quota MLCs' appointment case.

The apex court stayed the Telangana High Court's earlier order staying the appointment of MLCs under the quota by the Governor.

Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for BRS leaders Dasoju Sravan and Kura Satyanarayana, the petitioners, sought a status quo on not appointing new MLCs under the quota.

The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Prasanna Balachandra Vare however said that it could not stop the Governor from nominating MLCs under his quota.

"If the appointment of new MLCs is stopped, the rights of the Governor and the government would have been taken away. It is the duty of the government to make appointments from time to time," the court said.

The Supreme Court however issued notices to the Governor of Telangana and the State government as the respondents. The bench also said that whatever steps were taken by the Telangana government and its Governor, they would be subject to the final order of the Supreme Court, and adjourned the hearing by four weeks.

For the uninitiated, during the KCR regime, the recommendation by that government to appoint Dasoju Sravan and Kura Satyanarayana as MLCs under the Governor's quota were set aside by the then Governor. After the Revanth Reddy government came into power, Professor M Kodandaram and senior journalist Amer Ali Khan were approved by the Governor as MLCs under the quota. Sravan and Satyanarayana then approached the High Court alleging that the Governor had acted beyond her purview in their appointment. The High Court then stayed the appointment of Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan. The Supreme Court today stayed the High Court verdict.