The Telangana high court on Monday issued notices to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Danam Nagender in connection with a petition challenging the decision of state assembly speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar not to disqualify the lawmaker for switching over to the Congress, people familiar with the matter said.. Telangana HC issues notice to BRS MLA over his defection to Congress. A high court bench headed by chief justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, which was hearing the arguments over the petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) floor leader in the assembly Alleti Maheshwara Reddy, asked Nagender to file his response countering the petitioner within four weeks.. The bench also issued a similar notice to the assembly speaker and directed him to file a response and adjourned the matter to April 16.. In his petition, Maheshwar Reddy questioned the speaker’s March 11 ruling that Nagender had not switched parties and continued to remain with the BRS.. The speaker delivered the judgement after conducting an inquiry on the disqualification petitions filed by the BRS leaders against 10 MLAs, including Nagender. The Supreme Court on March 12 also disposed of the case against the alleged defection of the MLAs from the BRS to the Congress, stating that it would not interfere in the speaker’s decision.. Dissatisfied with the outcome, the BJP leader approached the high court on Friday with a fresh petition, arguing that Nagender had voluntarily given up his BRS membership by contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on a Congress party ticket.. “Thus, Nagender clearly violated anti-defection provisions and warranted disqualification. He ceases to be the BRS MLA from the day of filing nomination in the Lok Sabha elections on the Congress ticket,” the BJP leader said.. He further urged the court to direct the recovery of salary and allowances received by Nagender, alleging they were drawn in violation of constitutional norms.. Arguing on behalf of the speaker, state advocate general A Sudarshan Reddy brought to the notice of the high court the judgement of the Supreme Court endorsing the speaker’s decision.. After hearing submissions from both sides, the bench directed the speaker and Nagender to file their counters in the matter.
