Supreme Court issues final warning to Telangana Speaker on pending disqualification cases

The Supreme Court has issued a final warning to the Telangana Assembly Speaker, directing him to decide pending disqualification petitions against three BRS MLAs within two weeks, expressing concern over repeated delays despite earlier court orders.

Hyderabad: The Supreme Court on Friday issued a final warning to the Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly, directing him to decide the remaining disqualification petitions against three BRS MLAs within two weeks. The Court expressed displeasure over the long delay despite earlier directions. The Speaker was given a final two-week deadline to dispose of the remaining petitions and submit a status report before the next hearing.

According to law news agency Live Law, a bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice AG Masih was hearing compliance with its July 31 order, which had given three months to dispose of ten petitions related to the defection of BRS MLAs to the Congress. After the Speaker failed to act within the timeline, contempt petitions were filed. The Speaker later rejected seven petitions over the past month, while three are still pending.

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During the hearing, senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Telangana government, sought eight weeks to decide on the remaining petitions. However, senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu, appearing for the petitioners, opposed the request. He said the Speaker had repeatedly failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s orders and continued to delay the process despite assurances.

Singhvi cited the Speaker’s eye surgery and administrative changes as reasons for the delay. Naidu countered that one MLA who defected had even contested on a ruling party ticket but still retained his original MLA seat. He termed it an open-and-shut case that the Tribunal, headed by the Speaker, had not taken up and instead sought four weeks more.

Justice AG Masih observed that the Speaker had not done much despite earlier assurances. The bench made it clear that no further extension would be granted.