HYDERABAD: Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar on Wednesday dismissed five of the 10 disqualification petitions filed over alleged defections, following an open court hearing held at his office.
The Speaker pronounced orders rejecting the petitions against MLAs Dr Tellam Venkata Rao, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, T Prakash Goud, Gudem Mahipal Reddy and Arekapudi Gandhi. Petitions against Kale Yadaiah, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Sanjay Kumar, Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari are yet to be decided.
The MLAs concerned were accused of joining the ruling Congress. The petitions were filed in 2024 soon after the alleged defections.
When the BRS pressed the disqualification pleas, most of the respondents claimed that they continued to remain members of the pink party, from which they had been elected.
The Speaker conducted proceedings as a Tribunal under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution in connection with the 10 alleged defections.
In a statement, Legislature Secretary Dr V Narasimha Charyulu said the Speaker had considered the material placed on record and followed principles of natural justice by providing adequate opportunity of hearing to all parties.
The statement said the decision was taken in accordance with the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution and the Members of Telangana Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 1986.
It may be mentioned here that the Supreme Court fixed a timeframe for disposal of the petitions and warned the Speaker of contempt action in case of non-compliance. The matter is tentatively listed for hearing on December 19 in the Supreme Court.
Petitioners vow to move court against Speaker’s decision
During a hearing on November 17, a bench led by then Chief Justice of India BR Gavai described the failure to decide the petitions despite earlier directions as the “grossest kind of contempt” and cautioned the Speaker about the consequences of further delay.
Two of the petitioners, BRS MLAs KP Vivekanand and Dr Kalvakuntla Sanjay, announced that they would approach the high court challenging the Speaker’s order. They alleged that the chief minister had publicly stated that defections would not attract action and claimed that the same view found place in the judgment.
Reacting to the decision, BRS working president KT Rama Rao alleged that the Congress had “murdered democracy” by shielding defected BRS MLAs. He alleged that Rahul Gandhi showed no respect for the Constitution or the apex court. Government Whip Aadi Srinivas criticised the BRS, stating that it had inducted 38 MLAs when it was in power, and said the Congress had no objection to the pink party pursuing legal remedies.
“The Speaker and the Chairman, Tribunal, after considering the merits of the petitions, hereby dismissed them,” the statement by Legislature Secretary Dr V Narasimha Charyulu said. The Speaker’s office stated that the judgement copy would be uploaded on the State Legislature website, but it was not available at the time of filing this report.
Separately, the Speaker’s office asked petitioner KP Vivekanand to submit evidence in connection with the petition against Kadiyam Srihari, while forwarding the latter’s response. In his counter affidavit, Srihari denied allegations of quitting the BRS or joining the Congress.
Meanwhile, the Tribunal continues to hear the petitions against Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari. Nagender had contested the Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket while remaining a BRS MLA, while Srihari is alleged to have campaigned for his daughter, Kadiyam Kavya.