Warrants against two Telangana officials in contempt case

The Telangana High Court on Friday issued bailable warrants against Assembly Secretary and Law Secretary in a contempt of court case filed by former Congress legislators Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and S.A. Sampath Kumar over their suspension from Assembly last year. Taking serious note of non-implementation of the earlier court orders revoking the suspension, Justice Siva Sankara Rao directed Assembly Secretary V. Narasimha Charyulu and Law Secretary V. Niranjan Rao to appear before the court on February 15.

Venkat Reddy and Sampath had filed the contempt of court petition after their membership was not restored by the officials despite the court orders. The Congress legislators were suspended from the Telangana Assembly by then Speaker for indulging in unruly activities during the Governor's address to the joint sitting of the state legislature in March last year. The Legislature Secretary subsequently notified the vacancies for the two constituencies.

On a petition challenging their expulsion, the Congress legislators had moved the High Court, which on April 17 restored their Assembly membership and set aside the state government's gazette notification to declare vacancies for Nalgonda and Alampur (SC) constituencies. The Congress legislators' contempt petition was pending when Telangana Assembly was dissolved in September last year.

In the Assembly elections held on December 7, both Venkat Reddy and Sampath were defeated.