In a big relief to five Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLAs, who allegedly defected to the Congress over a period of time in 2024, Telangana state assembly speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar on Wednesday dismissed the petitions seeking their disqualification.
The speaker pronounced the judgement on the disqualification petitions filed by the BRS against five legislators — Tellam Venkata Rao from Bhadrachalam, Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy from Gadwal, Gudem Mahipal Reddy from Patancheru, T Prakash Goud from Rajendranagar, and Arekapudi Gandhi from Serilingampally assembly constituencies.
In his order, the Speaker stated that the petitioners had failed to produce credible evidence to establish that the five MLAs had formally defected from the BRS to the Congress.
He observed that there were no legally sustainable grounds to attract disqualification under the anti-defection law and clarified that, from a technical and constitutional standpoint, the five legislators continue to remain members of the BRS.
The speaker’s office said out of disqualification petitions against 10 MLAs, Kumar had completed hearings in eight cases so far.
The speaker delivered orders on five cases on Wednesday and the verdict on the remaining three MLAs – Pocharam Srinivas Reddy from Banswada, Kale Yadaiah from Chevella and M Sanjay Kumar from Jagitial would be delivered on Thursday.
The hearings in the disqualification petitions filed against Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari are yet to be completed, as they did not respond to the notices given by the speaker.
The judgements were pronounced following a direction from Supreme Court on November 17, setting a deadline of four weeks to complete the process on the disqualification petitions filed by the BRS against the MLAs, who allegedly defected to the BRS.
The apex court is scheduled to hear the matter again on the 19th of this month.
