Speaker gets more time on MLAs verdict amid SC holiday

Hyderabad: The Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker, Gaddam Prasad Kumar, has gained additional time to deliver his verdict on five more MLAs before January 5. This follows the BRS party’s contempt of court petition against him failing to appear before the Supreme Court Bench on Friday. Meanwhile, the apex court has declared Christmas and New Year holidays until 5 January.

The Speaker has already delivered a verdict against five MLAs Tellam Venkat Rao, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, T Prakash Goud, and Arekapudi Gandhi on 17 December.

He ruled that they remain BRS MLAs and have not officially changed their party. However, he is yet to pronounce a decision regarding five other MLAs: Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Sanjay Kumar, Kale Yadaiah, Kadiam Srihari, and Danam Nagender.

On 17 December, reports circulated within the Assembly premises suggesting the Speaker would deliver verdicts on Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Sanjay Kumar, and Kale Yadaiah by 18 or 19 December. However, no verdict was pronounced, and the Speaker clarified that he had not committed to those dates, which were media predictions. It is understood that the Speaker will be away from Hyderabad on 20 and 21 December and is expected to be available from 22 December onwards.

According to legal experts, with the exception of Danam Nagender, the other four MLAs Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Sanjay Kumar, Kale Yadaiah, and Kadiam Srihari are likely to receive a favourable verdict. Experts opine that Danam Nagender may tender his resignation to avoid disqualification before 5 January.

Regarding Kadiam Srihari, experts suggested that signing his daughter Dr Kavya’s Lok Sabha nomination papers may not be legally classified as a defection from BRS to the Congress party.