In a blow to Telangana’s political circles, the Supreme Court has cancelled the MLC nominations of Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) chief M. Kodandaram and Siasat editor Aamir Ali Khan, who were both appointed under the Governor’s quota by the Congress government.

The battle over these two coveted seats began during KCR’s tenure. The then-BRS government had recommended Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satyanarayana, but the Governor rejected them, citing their active political roles. KCR chose not to re-nominate them, and before the stalemate could end, Congress came to power.

The new regime put forward Kodandaram and Aamir Ali Khan’s names, a move Sravan and Satyanarayana challenged in court. The High Court quashed the nominations but did not restore the earlier candidates. Unfazed, the Congress cabinet re-sent the same names, prompting the petitioners to take the fight to the Supreme Court.

The apex court initially allowed the duo to take oath but warned their positions were subject to the final verdict. That verdict has now arrived, and it’s a clean sweep for the challengers. Kodandaram and Khan stand disqualified, and any future nominations will remain under judicial scrutiny until the next hearing on September 17.

This decision reopens the long-running tug-of-war over the Governor’s quota, a constitutional provision meant to honour experts from fields like literature, art, and social service, but often caught in political crossfire. For Telangana, it’s yet another reminder that in politics, even “nominated” seats can turn into battlegrounds.