[ad_1]
The Supreme Court on Monday issued a contempt notice to the Telangana Assembly Speaker for failing to comply with its direction to deliver judgment on the disqualification petitions filed against 10 people. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs Who had joined the ruling Congress party.
In July, a bench of the apex court led by Chief Justice BR Gavai had ordered the Speaker to reach a decision within three months regarding the disqualification of 10 BRS MLAs.
The CJI-led bench termed the non-compliance of its earlier order issuing summons to the Speaker and others on petitions filed by BRS officials as “contempt of the gravest kind”.
However, the bench exempted the Telangana Speaker and other parties from personal appearance before the court till further notice.
The bench also considered a separate petition, filed on behalf of the Speaker’s office, seeking extension of eight weeks to decide on disqualification petitions.
Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Abhishek Singhvi as well as advocate Shravan Kumar, representing the Speaker’s office, said they were seeking extension of time.
A lawyer informed the court that hearing in four disqualification petitions has been completed and recording of evidence in three cases has been completed.
“This should have been concluded…this is the most blatant contempt…it is for him to decide where he wants to celebrate the New Year,” the CJI said.
The bench has now adjourned the case for further hearing for four weeks’ time.
Rohatgi assured the bench that he would personally convey the court’s serious view to the Speaker’s office and expressed hope that the verdict would be pronounced within four weeks.
The apex court had earlier on November 10 agreed to hear the plea seeking contempt proceedings against the Telangana Speaker on November 17.
The contempt petition arises from the Supreme Court’s July 31 judgment given by a bench of CJI and Justice AG Masih in a series of writ petitions submitted by BRS leaders. KT Rama RaoPadi Kaushik Reddy, and KO Vivekananda.
The top court reiterated that the Speaker acts as a tribunal while deciding disqualification petitions under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, and as a result, he does not enjoy “constitutional immunity”.
The Tenth Schedule lays down rules relating to disqualification on the ground of defection.
[ad_2]
