HYDERABAD: The Supreme Court has expressed strong disapproval over the delay by the Telangana Assembly Speaker in deciding disqualification petitions against MLAs who defected from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to the Congress party. The bench, comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih, questioned whether, in a democracy, such processes should extend until the end of the assembly’s term, thereby undermining democratic principles.
The court issued notices to the Telangana government, the Assembly Secretary, the Election Commission, and the defected MLAs, seeking their responses by March 25. Justice Gavai remarked that every matter cannot be treated in a manner where “the operation is successful but the patient is dead,” highlighting the necessity for timely decisions in disqualification cases to uphold democratic integrity.
Senior Advocate C.A. Sundaram, representing BRS leader Padi Kaushik Reddy, argued that the Speaker’s inaction amounted to a failure in performing constitutional duties. He pointed out that in some instances, constitutional courts have directly disqualified defected MLAs when there was an undue delay in decision-making.
The court’s observations underscore the importance of promptly addressing disqualification petitions to maintain the sanctity of the democratic process and prevent the erosion of public trust in legislative institutions.
