Defection Row: Speaker begins hearing cases against two more BRS MLAs

The first day of the hearing regarding the defection charges faced by two more BRS MLAs was taken up by Speaker Gaddam Prasad on Thursday.

The hearing concerned the cases of Tellam Venkat Rao versus K P Vivekanand Goud and M Sanjay Kumar versus G Jagadish Reddy. The Speaker first took up the case involving Tellam Venkat Rao versus K P Vivekanand Goud. Advocates on behalf of Bhadrachalam MLA Venkat Rao cross-examined Vivekanand Goud.

Later, the hearing of Sanjay versus G Jagadish Reddy was taken up post-lunch. Advocates on behalf of Sanjay cross-examined BRS MLA Jagadish Reddy.

The Speaker had previously taken up the hearing of cases involving four MLAs facing defection charges, and is now taking up another four in the second phase, with two cases completed today. The Speaker will next be taking up petitions pertaining to Banswada MLA Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Serilingampally Arikepudi Gandhi.

Sources said that after November 13, the advocates belonging to the BRS MLAs will take up the cross-examination of the MLAs facing defection charges. Subsequently, the Speaker would be calling all eight MLAs for cross-examination.

The BRS had filed a disqualification petition against ten MLAs of the party, alleging they had joined the Congress party. Notices were issued to all the MLAs; however, only eight MLAs had responded to the notices. MLAs Kadiyam Srihari and DanamNagender have not yet responded.

This exercise was originally due to be completed by October 31. However, the office of the Speaker had sought some more time from the Supreme Court for the hearing. Sources indicated that this exercise would be finished by November end. After finishing the hearing of the eight MLAs, the Speaker would take a decision on the two MLAs who have not responded. The final deadline for taking a decision on all cases is December 31.