SC seeks status report from Speaker in 2 wks

New Delhi/Hyderabad: The Supreme Court on Friday gave one last opportunity to the Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar to decide on the defection of BRS MLAs into Congress, giving two weeks of time to decide on the disqualification petitions and file a status report. The hearing pertaining to the disqualification petition against 10 Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLAs filed by the BRS leaders Padi Kaushik Reddy, KP Vivekananda and others came up for hearing in the Supreme Court on Friday. A bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice AG Masih was hearing the case in which the Apex Court on July 31 had given three months’ time to the Speaker to decide on the petitions. The BRS leader Kaushik Reddy and others filed contempt case as the deadline set by the Court was already done. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Mukul Rohatgi sought four weeks' time stating the Speaker was in the hospital for eye surgery and that a new secretary had taken charge in the office. Appearing for petitioners, senior advocate D Sheshadri Naidu pointed that despite court orders, the Speaker did not take a decision on all defected MLAs but sought adjournments. The Speaker has so far disposed of seven petitions including two a day before pertaining to Pocharam Srinivas Reddy (Banswada) and Kale Yadaiah (Chevella). The Speaker has kept one petition reserved for orders after completing the hearing. Senior advocate Sheshadri Naidu pointed out that the Speaker had sought more time on several occasions since the last one year. He also brought to the notice of the court that one of the BRS MLAs had contested Lok Sabha elections on Congress ticket and still was continuing as the member of the Legislative Assembly.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi sought four weeks’ time to dispose of cases of three more MLAs. However, the Supreme Court asked the Speaker to decide and convey what decision he had taken within two weeks and if needed the court would give two more weeks’ time. However, Sheshadri Naidu said it was an open and shut case where MLAs shifted loyalties. How can they say they need four or eight weeks, questioned Naidu.

The Court observed that the Speaker didn’t do much and gave one last opportunity and gave two weeks’ time.