VIJAYAWADA : The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday directed Secretary (Legal and Legislature), Chief Election Commissioner of India, Chief Electoral Officer of Andhra Pradesh to file counters with full details regarding the orders issued by the Assembly Speaker accepting the resignation of Visakhapatnam North MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao and the gazette notification on the same.
The court directed the respondents in the case to submit the letter written by Ganta to the Speaker and other evidence. The petitioner was directed to include Secretary General of Legislative Assembly as a respondent in the case. Further hearing in the case was posted to February 19. The former TDP legislator had challenged the acceptance of his resignation on January 23 and the subsequent Gazette notification.
Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate N Aswini Kumar said the petitioner had tendered his resignation in 2021, but it was accepted after three years. He argued that acceptance of the resignation after three years is due to political motives, hence they filed the petition challenging the order and notification.
However, he admitted that the petitioner had not written any letter withdrawing his resignation. “But at the same time, the petitioner has not handed over his resignation letter to the Speaker in person. The Speaker should inquire and take a decision, but it did not happen in this case,” he argued.
Special Government Pleader V Maheswara Reddy, appearing for Department of Justice and Legislative Affairs, said to continue as a legislator, one has to withdraw resignation submitted, before it was accepted, which has not happened in his case. Further, he pointed out that Assembly Secretary General was not a respondent, as it should be in such cases. M Chandrasekhar Rao appearing for the Assembly. questioned the maintainability of the petition.