The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up Telangana state assembly speaker G Prasad Kumar for failing to take a decision before the deadline set by it on the disqualification of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLAs, who defected to the Congress in 2024.
The case came up for hearing for the first time after the winter vacation, before a bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Augustine George Masih, after the expiry of the three-month deadline for deciding on disqualification petitions filed against the defecting MLAs.
Arguing on behalf of the state assembly speaker, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted a report, stating that the speaker had taken a decision on seven MLAs, who were facing allegations of defection and the decision on three other MLAs – Danam Nagender of Khairtabad, Kadiyam Srihari of Station Ghanpur and M Sanjay Kumar of Jagitial is pending.
The Supreme Court bench took serious note of the negligence of the speaker in deciding the fate of these three MLAs, within the deadline. “We know what action we can take for failing to stick to the deadline,” the bench said, giving two more weeks’ time to the speaker to decide the fate of the other three MLAs.
“The speaker should comply with the court order. We post the matter after two weeks. Affidavit of steps taken by the respondent be filed before the next date,” the bench said.
In an earlier order, the Supreme Court directed the Speaker to take a decision on the disqualification petitions within three months, expressing serious displeasure over the delay and warning against inaction in matters involving constitutional responsibilities.
The BRS has accused the Congress government and the speaker of shielding defectors and undermining the anti-defection law, while the Congress has maintained that the Speaker is acting in accordance with constitutional provisions.