Supreme Court Gives Telangana Speaker Two Weeks to Report on MLA Disqualifications
Supreme Court directs Telangana Assembly Speaker to submit a status report within two weeks on disqualification petitions against BRS MLAs who joined Congress, warning of consequences for delay.
The Supreme Court of India has directed the Telangana Assembly Speaker to submit a status report within two weeks on the pending disqualification petitions against BRS MLAs who switched their allegiance to the ruling Congress party.
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Final Opportunity Granted by the Court
The order was passed by a bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice A.G. Masih. The bench made it clear that this would be the final opportunity granted to the Speaker to inform the court about the action taken in the disqualification cases.
Status of Disqualification Petitions
During the hearing, senior advocates appearing for the Speaker told the court that seven disqualification cases have already been decided, while one petition is still pending. It was explained that the delay occurred because the Speaker had undergone eye surgery, following which an eight-week extension was sought to complete the proceedings.
Supreme Court Rejects Longer Timeline
The Supreme Court, however, declined the request for eight weeks and restricted the time to two weeks, directing the Speaker to submit a detailed status report before the next date of hearing.
Strong Objections from BRS MLAs
Strong objections were raised by counsel representing the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs, who argued that the Speaker had failed to comply with earlier directions of the court. It was pointed out that the Speaker had already been granted three months to decide the disqualification petitions and that the deadline had expired long ago.
Warning of Serious Consequences
Taking note of the submissions, the bench warned that serious consequences would follow if the Speaker failed to adhere to the two-week deadline. The court ordered that the status report must be placed on record without any further delay.
Political Implications in Telangana
The Supreme Court’s directive is being closely watched, as it could have significant political implications in Telangana, particularly amid the ongoing debate over defections and legislative accountability.
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