Supreme Court Warns Telangana Speaker on MLA Disqualifications

The Supreme Court has issued a warning to Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar for his delayed decision on disqualification pleas against 10 Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLAs. The Speaker has been directed to resolve the issue within a week, under threat of contempt proceedings for non-compliance.

The Supreme Court has admonished Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar over his procrastination in addressing disqualification petitions involving 10 defected MLAs of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). A bench, helmed by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, mandated that the Speaker resolves the pleas within a week's timeframe, cautioning about possible contempt proceedings should the directive be ignored.

In emphasizing the judicial stance, the apex court remarked, "It is for the Speaker to decide, as we have affirmed that he does not possess constitutional immunity." This statement followed a contempt petition filed by BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy against the Telangana Speaker. The MLA pointed out non-compliance with the court's previous directive for the Speaker to address the disqualification pleas against the 10 defecting MLAs to Congress within three months.

The Supreme Court further instructed the Speaker to submit a response to Reddy's appeal within two weeks. CJI Gavai underscored that the Speaker's actions demonstrated a significant disregard for the court. The Chief Justice firmly stated, "It's for the Speaker to decide the matter or face the court's contempt." Moreover, the court reiterated its July 31 instruction, urging swift resolution of the disqualification petitions and advising against any attempts by involved MLAs to unduly extend the process.

(With inputs from agencies.)