HC notices to MLAs elected on BRS ticket, defected to Congress

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has issued notices to 10 BRS MLAs who defected to the Congress after the 2023 Assembly elections without resigning from their original party. Among those named are prominent leaders such as Danam Nagender, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, Kadiyam Srihari, and Pocharam Srinivas.

The court was responding to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Praja Shanti Party chief KA Paul, seeking the disqualification of these MLAs for violating anti-defection provisions under the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Paul argued that these MLAs, elected on a BRS ticket, defected to Congress without resigning, which constitutes a breach of constitutional law.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sreenivas Rao also issued notices to the Secretary of the Telangana Legislative Assembly and the Secretary of the Election Commission of India (ECI), requesting their responses within four weeks.

During the hearing, Dr. Paul urged the court to pass an interim order to bar the defected MLAs from participating in upcoming Assembly sessions or exercising voting rights. However, the bench declined, citing the petitioner’s failure to clarify whether the Telangana State Assembly is currently in session.

The court adjourned the case, allowing the respondents four weeks to file their responses.