Telangana MLCs Disqualification Petition Heard

Hyderabad: Telangana Legislative Council chairman A. Swamy Goud has commenced hearing in matter relating to the petitions seeking the disqualification of three MLCs. On March 29, the term of eight MLCs comes to an end and three other MLCs resigned as they were elected to the Assembly.

Members whose term gets over in March are Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, A Swamy Goud, Telangana Wakf Board chairman Mohammed Saleem, P. Sudhakar Reddy, P. Ravinder, and M.S. Prabhakar. The term of Congress MLCs Mohammed Ali Shabbir and Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy will also end in March.

Members who resigned from the Council as they the got elected to Assembly are M. Hanumantha Rao, from Malkajgiri and Narender Reddy, from Kodangal. K. Rajagopal Reddy who was elected from the Munugodu Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket also resigned.

Two vacancies are from the graduates’ constituencies, two from the local bodies’ constituencies, and the rest are from the Assembly quota, making it 12 vacancies in total. To fill the vacancies, Election Commission has proposed to issue the notification for MLC elections in the month of February. Meanwhile, Council Chairman has commenced the hearing on petitions seeking disqualification of three TRS MLCs' who joined the Congress during the elections, and an MLC from Congress.

MLCs R. Bhupathi Reddy, K. Yadav Reddy, and nominated member Ramulu Naik are facing petitions, which are filed against them by the TRS party. The Congress had lodged complaints against Akula Lalitha and Santosh Kumar, who switched over to TRS post the Assembly elections.

On Friday, Council Chairman completed the hearing of the petition filed against Ramulu Naik and reserved orders. Ramulu Naik’s advocate presented his argument that the party whip would not be applicable to his client as he was appointed by the Governor.

Counsels of Yadav Reddy and Bhupathi Reddy sought an adjournment of their case and Council Chairman has ordered that next hearing would take place on Saturday.

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