The Supreme Court is set to hear on November 17 a contempt petition filed against the Telangana Assembly Speaker for allegedly failing to comply with its order to decide on the disqualification pleas of 10 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs who defected to the ruling Congress party.
Back on July 31, a Bench led by Chief Justice B. R. Gavai had directed the Speaker to conclude the disqualification proceedings within three months. However, with the deadline now expired, the petitioners have accused the Speaker of deliberately delaying the matter.
During a brief hearing on November 10, a lawyer representing the petitioners sought urgent intervention from the court, pointing out that the Speaker had not initiated any action despite clear instructions. Chief Justice Gavai responded, saying, “List it next Monday.” When the counsel expressed concern that the case was being dragged until the end of the month due to the CJI’s impending retirement on November 23, the Chief Justice remarked, “The Supreme Court will not close after November 24.”
The contempt plea arises from the Supreme Court’s earlier judgment, which clarified that while deciding disqualification petitions under the Tenth Schedule, the Speaker acts as a tribunal and does not enjoy constitutional immunity. The Bench had also observed that allowing defected legislators to continue in office without timely adjudication “shakes the very foundation of democracy.”
The Court’s upcoming hearing is expected to set an important precedent on timely action in anti-defection cases and accountability of presiding officers in upholding constitutional principles.
