Hearings on defected BRS MLAs to conclude on Thursday

The Telangana Assembly Speaker, Gaddam Prasad Kumar, is set to conclude anti-defection proceedings against eight MLAs who left the Bharat Rashtra Samithi to join the Congress. Final arguments for Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Arekapudi Gandhi are scheduled for Thursday, while hearings for Tellam Venkat Rao and Sanjay Kumar concluded earlier. The BRS has submitted digital evidence to prove voluntary defection.

Hyderabad: The anti-defection proceedings against the MLAs who defected from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi to the ruling Congress will conclude on Thursday. The final arguments are scheduled for Thursday in the cases of two MLAs, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Arekapudi Gandhi.

Defected MLAs

---

Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, acting as Chairman of the Anti-Defection Tribunal, has been hearing the disqualification petitions filed by BRS against eight MLAs Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, Arekapudi Gandhi, Tellam Venkat Rao, Kale Yadaiah, M Sanjay Kumar, T Prakash Goud and Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy. Arguments in the cases of Tellam Venkat Rao and Sanjay Kumar concluded on Wednesday.

BRS has submitted comprehensive evidence, including digital records, to prove that these MLAs voluntarily gave up party membership by joining the Congress and campaigning for it. Political observers say the evidence is ‘overwhelming’ and it will be difficult for the Speaker to give the defectors a clean chit without attracting accusations of bias.

Speaker’s verdict likely soon

Following recent strong observations by a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice BR Gavai, which urges Speakers to decide disqualification petitions expeditiously, sources indicate the Speaker is likely to pronounce his verdict within the next 7–10 days.

BRS had filed disqualification petitions against a total of ten MLAs. While proceedings against eight have reached the final stage, former Deputy CM Kadiyam Srihari and Danam Nagender have asked for more time and are yet to appear before the Speaker.

After the Supreme Court on Monday reiterated that the Speaker must act without delay and without political considerations, pressure is mounting on Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar to issue notices to the remaining two MLAs as well. Insiders say the Speaker is expected to take a decision on calling Srihari and Nagender within the next couple of days.

With the Congress government enjoying a comfortable majority even after these defections, the outcome of the disqualification petitions will be closely watched as a test of the Speaker’s impartiality and adherence to the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.