HYDERABAD: In a significant development, the Hyderabad High Court on Monday issued notices to the Speaker of Telangana Assembly (Chairman of the Tribunal under X Schedule) and 12 TDP MLAs, who have joined the ruling TRS on a petition questioning the bulletin issued on March 10, 2016 by the Telangana State Legislature Secretariat merging Telangana Telugu Desam Legislature Party with Telangana Rashtra Samithi Legislature Party in the state Assembly.
TTDP MLA A Revanth Reddy, filed the petition on the ground that the Speaker who is also the chairman of the Tribunal under X Schedule has the jurisdiction only to decide the issue of disqualification but not on the merger of a political party.
The petitioner’s counsel pointed out that 12 respondent MLAs who were elected in 2014 election on TDP ticket and joined TRS without resigning to the membership of the Legislative Assembly. The petitioner’s counsel contended that the act of the respondent MLAs attracts the Anti-Defection Law and the petition seeking their disqualification was already pending before the Tribunal. He urged the court to direct the chairman of the Tribunal (Speaker) to decide the disqualification petitions expeditiously preferably within 90 days as decided in a Supreme Court case and consequently suspend the bulletin issued by the Legislature Secretariat. After hearing the case, the judge asked all respondents with a direction to file counters in two weeks.