Supreme Court to Hear Contempt Plea Against Telangana Speaker

The Supreme Court will hear a contempt petition on November 17 against the Telangana assembly speaker for not deciding on the disqualification of 10 MLAs. Despite a July 31 directive, proceedings have not advanced, with pleas still pending. The delay raises concerns about accountability in legislative processes.

The Supreme Court is set to address a contempt petition against the Telangana Speaker on November 17, stemming from non-compliance with a court directive to resolve disqualification pleas concerning 10 MLAs who switched allegiance to the ruling Congress.

Following a July 31 order, the assembly speaker was instructed to conclude the matter within three months, a deadline that has since lapsed. The top court bench, led by Chief Justice B R Gavai, expressed discontent over the delay, noting the implications of pending legislative actions.

The bench highlighted the broader democratic concerns when elected officials evade timely resolution of defection cases, reinforcing that the Speaker, acting as a tribunal, does not possess 'constitutional immunity' under the Tenth Schedule, which governs disqualification on defection grounds.

(With inputs from agencies.)