The Telangana High Court has issued notices to Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar and two MLAs who allegedly defected to the ruling Congress despite winning the election on the BRS ticket. The notices were issued in response to petitions filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs challenging the Speaker’s dismissal of disqualification petitions. A division bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin has directed the Speaker and the MLAs to file counters by April 16.
This development follows a previous day’s issuance of notices to the Speaker and seven MLAs facing defection allegations. The division bench instructed the Speaker and the MLAs, including Danam Nagender, Arekapudi Gandhi, Kale Yadaiah, T. Prakash Goud, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, and Tellam Venkat Rao, to submit counter-affidavits. The Speaker had earlier dismissed disqualification petitions against 10 MLAs who switched to the ruling Congress despite being elected on the BRS ticket.
The BRS, dissatisfied with the Speaker’s rulings, approached the High Court, arguing that the lack of evidence cited by the Speaker in dismissing the disqualification petitions essentially exonerated the defectors. On March 23, the High Court ordered notices on a petition filed by BJP MLA A. Maheshwar Reddy challenging the Speaker’s decision regarding Danam Nagender, who had joined Congress and contested elections under their banner. The bench has consolidated all petitions challenging the Speaker’s rulings for a hearing on April 16.
Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar had dismissed disqualification petitions against Nagender and another MLA, Kadiyam Srihari, on March 11. Earlier, on February 4, the Speaker had dismissed a petition against BRS MLA Sanjay Kumar. The Speaker also rejected petitions against Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Kale Yadaiah on January 15. In December 2025, petitions against five MLAs, including Tellam Venkat Rao, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, T. Prakash Goud, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, and Arekapudi Gandhi, were dismissed for lack of evidence of defection to the Congress.
