Supreme Court gives Telangana Speaker 21 Days to decide on BRS MLAs’ disqualification petitions

The Supreme Court has sent a strong message to the Telangana Assembly Speaker. On Friday, the court extended the deadline by three weeks to decide disqualification petitions against rebel BRS MLAs. At the same time, it warned of contempt action if delays continue.

First, a bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice A.G. Masih heard the matter. The judges made their position clear. They asked the Speaker to take a final call within 21 days. They also said the court would act if the Speaker failed to comply.

Earlier, the court had fixed a three-month deadline on July 31 last year. However, the Speaker did not complete the process within that time. As a result, BRS leaders approached the court again.

Notably, BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao filed a contempt petition. He accused the Speaker of ignoring court orders. He argued that repeated delays weakened democratic accountability. Therefore, he demanded strict action.

Meanwhile, the court reviewed past developments. On January 16, it had granted two weeks to decide three pending cases. The bench expected quick progress. However, only one case reached a conclusion.

During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. He told the court that the Speaker had decided one petition. He added that two more cases stood close to completion. According to him, municipal elections caused some delay. He also said the opposing side sought more time.

In response, lawyers for BRS leaders raised strong objections. They said the Speaker had received several chances. Yet, he failed to follow the timeline. They called the delays deliberate. They also highlighted one case where an MLA switched to Congress, contested elections, and still kept his Assembly seat.

Therefore, they argued that facts clearly supported disqualification. They urged the court to act firmly. They said continued inaction harmed public trust.

However, the bench adopted a balanced approach. It recalled that Assembly officials earlier sought time until March. Even then, the court had allowed only two weeks. Since one case saw closure, the judges decided to give limited additional time.

At the same time, the bench cautioned lawyers against sensational arguments. It remarked that turning court matters into online content had become a “new industry.” Through this comment, the court stressed the need for seriousness.

Meanwhile, the Speaker has taken some recent steps. On December 17, he decided cases against five MLAs. On January 15, he ruled on two more petitions. These included Kale Yadaiah, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Tellam Venkat Rao, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, T. Prakash Goud, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, and Arekapudi Gandhi.

Recently, authorities also closed the case against M. Sanjay Kumar. However, petitions against Kadiyam Srihari and Danam Nagendar remain pending.

In an affidavit, the Speaker outlined the next schedule. He said hearings in Nagendar’s case will begin on February 18. He also fixed Srihari’s hearing for February 19. Through this step, he signaled readiness to complete the process.

Overall, the Supreme Court has drawn a clear line. It has given the Speaker a final 21-day window. It has also linked further delay to contempt action. Now, political observers will closely watch the next three weeks. The outcome may shape future debates on defections and legislative discipline in Telangana.