Telangana High Court explores expedited disqualification petition process for defecting MLAs

Though the judge reiterated that such action would result in speedy disposal of the case, the AG affirmed that it would not be possible fix a particular date for the Speaker.

Hyderabad: Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of Telangana High Court on Wednesday wanted to know from the Advocate General, A Sudarshan Reddy if the Speaker of the Telangana Assembly can fix a particular date for consideration of disqualification petition against Bhadrachalam MLA Venkata Rao Tellam and Station Ghanpur MLA Kadiyam Srihari for an expeditious disposal of the case.

The judge has directed the Advocate General to get instructions from the Speaker on the same.

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The writ plea was filed by KP Vivekananda, BRS MLA of Qutbullapur constituency challenging the inaction of the Speaker on the disqualification petition filed by him on April 2 and April 8, 2024 under anti-defection law, the Schedule X of the Constitution of India.

It may be recalled that Venkat Rao Tellam and Kadiyam Srihari who got elected from BRS party, defected and joined Indian National Congress on April 7 and March 31, 2024 respectively.

Today, when the AG sought time for filing counter, the judge suggested AG to get instructions on the possibility of fixing a particular date to decide the disqualification petition.

The AG replied that it would not be possible to fix a particular date. He said, such attempt made earlier were unsuccessful as there may be some contingencies. Senior counsel, Gandra Mohan representing the petitioner referred to a judgment of Maharashtra High Court and said that in a similar case particular date was fixed.

Though the judge reiterated that such action would result in speedy disposal of the case, the AG affirmed that it would not be possible fix a particular date for the Speaker.

The judge posted the case to June 10 for the response of the Speaker on the issue through AG.

The two judge bench of Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti on Wednesday disposed off a public interest litigation case pertaining to the Naguladinne Bridge across the river Tungabhadhara situated between Mahaboobnagar and Kurnool Districts. The bench was dealing with a public interest litigation case of 2010 filed by one Veeraiah Gupta, a social worker.

It was complained that the District Collectors of Mahaboobnagar and Kurnool were not considering the representations on construction and restoration of the bridge Today, the Additional Advocate General Imran Khan told to Court that the authorities have considered the representation and completed the reconstruction of the bridge. Observing the same, the bench disposed the writ plea.