HC knocks; Congress switches duck
Telangana High Court issues notices to the Speaker and seven MLAs over petitions saying they moved from BRS to Congress. The court hasn’t ruled on disqualification yet; the Congress side has been taking its time with counters, and the clock keeps getting reset.
The High Court has sought counters in the disqualification petitions as the matter moves through successive deadlines.
The Telangana High Court has issued notices to Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar and seven MLAs on petitions by BRS legislators challenging the Speaker’s rejection of disqualification pleas under the Tenth Schedule. The petitions say the seven moved from BRS to the Congress; the court has not found that proved — that is the case the petitioners are pressing. According to multiple reports, the bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G M Mohiuddin directed counters and first listed the batch for April 16 after notices went out around March 25. The seven named are T Prakash Goud, Tellam Venkat Rao, Arekapudi Gandhi, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, Kale Yadaiah, Danam Nagender and Srinivas Reddy Parige.
The Speaker’s orders had tossed the disqualification pleas for lack of conclusive evidence, per reports. BRS MLAs including Kalvakuntla Sanjay, K P Vivekanand, Padi Kaushik Reddy, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy and G Jagadish Reddy have asked the High Court to set those aside. They also sought consequences such as recovery of salary and benefits after April 23, 2024 — that’s their prayer, not a ruling.
Since April, the court has nudged the matter along with more time for replies and fresh dates. Respondents were told to file counters by May 6; then got an extension to June 25; and on June 26 the court gave a final three weeks, listing it for July 22. Reports said seven respondents had filed counters, while Danam Nagender and Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy were given a last chance. What happened on July 22 is not on the record in the material available.
So yes, the Congress switches at issue are before the court, and no, the BJP is not in this picture to rescue due process. The case turns on whether the Speaker — now asked to explain — can justify waving the pleas away. The Congress’s MLAs have had months to put their version on affidavit; Telangana has waited long enough for a straight answer.