Telangana MLA Defection Case: Legislators Ordered to Respond Within Three Weeks

Court Directives to Defecting MLAs

The Telangana High Court has ordered ten MLAs, who won their positions in the 2023 Assembly elections representing the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), to submit counter-affidavits within three weeks. These legislators are accused of defecting to the ruling Congress party shortly after their election.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G M Mohiuddin addressed the case on Thursday, pertaining to writ petitions filed by BRS MLAs who are contesting the dismissal of disqualification petitions by Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. The court had previously issued notices to all ten MLAs involved in the matter.

Concerns Over Delays in Proceedings

During the hearing, the lawyers representing the respondent MLAs requested additional time to prepare their counter-affidavits. The court granted three weeks for these filings, along with another three weeks for the petitioners to respond, indicating that the case would be heard again after the summer break.

One of the petitioners’ lawyers raised concerns regarding potential delays in the proceedings, noting that previous cases had seen significant postponements. The lawyer highlighted that the Supreme Court had previously mandated a three-month timeline for dealing with similar disqualification cases, which had taken over a year in this situation.

Deadline Set by the Court

The senior court took the petitioners’ concerns into consideration and set a firm deadline for the submission of counters by May 6, stating this was to be done “positively.” The bench agreed to hold a session to review the matter on the same day.

BRS’s Stance on Speaker’s Decision

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi has voiced strong opposition to the Speaker’s decision to dismiss the disqualification petitions against the MLAs, asserting that it undermines the integrity of the anti-defection law. BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy has previously approached the Supreme Court regarding perceived inaction by the Speaker concerning the disqualification of the ten legislators.

In July 2025, the Supreme Court instructed the Speaker to make a determination regarding the disqualification petitions within three months. Subsequently, in February 2026, the apex court provided a ‘final opportunity’ to Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, commanding him to resolve the matter within three weeks. From December 2025 to March 2026, the Speaker dismissed these petitions, referring to a “lack of conclusive documentary evidence.”