E-Paper
10 BRS defectors served notice by Telangana assembly
Hyderabad assembly secretary issued notices to 10 defected BRS MLAs, seeking explanations for switching to Congress, amid anti-defection law scrutiny.
Hyderabad Telangana state assembly secretary Dr V Narasimha Charyulu on Tuesday issued notices to 10 lawmakers belonging to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi who defected to the ruling Congress last year, people familiar with the matter said.
The notices were issued acting on a batch of petitions filed by the BRS to state assembly speaker G Prasad Kumar, seeking disqualification of the MLAs, who switched loyalties to the Congress, in accordance with the anti-defection law.
The defected MLAs were asked to give an explanation why they switched over to the Congress.
“The MLAs, who were served notices, have sought time to respond to the notices sent by the assembly secretary,” an official in the state legislature secretariat said.
The MLAs who defected to the Congress over a period of time last year were: Pocharam Srinivas Reddy from Banswada, Kale Yadaiah from Chevella, M Sanjay Kumar from Jagitial, B Krishnamohan Reddy from Gadwal, G Mahipal Reddy from Patancheru, T Prakash Goud from Rajendranagar, Arekapudi Gandhi from Serilingampally, Danam Nagender from Khairatabad, Kadiyam Srihari from Station Ghanpur and Tellam Venkat Rao from Bhadrachalam.
Speaking to reporters, Danam Nagender, representing Khairatabad assembly constituency in Hyderabad, said he had not yet received the notice from the assembly secretary. “I have not done any mistake. I shall respond to the notice appropriately,” he said.
Another defected MLA Tellam Venkat Rao, however, said he had received the notice from the speaker’s office. “I shall give the reply after consulting my legal advisers,” he said.
Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy told reporters in the assembly premises that the notices issued to BRS MLAs who joined the Congress were part of the standard procedural process. “The speaker will take a call on it,” he said.
The issuance of notices to the defected MLAs comes in the wake of the directions from the Supreme Court on Monday, while hearing the arguments on a petition filed by BRS legislator Padi Kaushik Reddy who challenged the Telangana high court’s ruling that allows a “reasonable time” for the Speaker to act on the disqualification petition of the BRS.
The Supreme Court asked the legislative assembly secretary to decide how much time he would require to dispose of the disqualification petitions. The apex court deferred further hearing on the case to February 10.
In September 2024, a single judge bench of the Telangana high court directed the speaker to schedule a hearing within four weeks to decide on the disqualification petitions. The assembly secretary moved the division bench of the state high court, challenging the single judge ruling.
In November 2024, the high court’s division bench endorsed the contention that the speaker’s powers to decide on disqualification petitions should not be subject to judicial interference. The court then allowed the speaker “reasonable time” to make a decision.
Kaushik Reddy challenged this verdict in the Supreme Court in January. The Supreme Court bench, led by Justices BR Gavai and AG Masih, asked the Telangana legislative assembly secretary to clarify what would constitute a “reasonable period” for deciding on the disqualification cases.
The BRS hailed the Supreme Court judgement. Taking to X, BRS working president K T Rama Rao said: “It is impossible for Congress party to shield the defectors anymore as the Law laid down by the Constitution and prior judgements of Supreme Court are explicitly clear. Let us be prepared to fight By-elections soon my fellow @BRSparty soldiers!”
