The Supreme Court expressed strong disapproval on Wednesday regarding comments made by Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy in the state assembly, where he reportedly stated that there would be no bye-elections even if Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs switched sides. Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih, addressing the issue during a hearing, highlighted that such statements could undermine the constitutional provisions regarding political defections.
The controversy stems from CM Reddy’s comments made on March 26, suggesting an assurance against bye-elections irrespective of potential defections among BRS legislators. This remark was brought to light as the apex court deliberated on the alleged delays by the Telangana assembly speaker in addressing petitions for the disqualification of some BRS MLAs who had defected to the Congress.
Justice Gavai emphasized the gravity of statements made on the assembly floor, noting, “If this is said on the floor of the house, your chief minister is making a mockery of the Tenth Schedule.” The Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution specifically deals with disqualification grounds related to defection, intending to preserve the stability and integrity of elected bodies.
During the proceedings, senior advocate C A Sundaram, representing BRS leader Padi Kaushik Reddy, quoted CM Reddy’s controversial assertion, which explicitly dismissed the possibility of bye-elections triggered by political defections. Meanwhile, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the assembly speaker, argued that the assembly proceedings were not directly under scrutiny in the current matter before the court.
Justice Gavai responded to these distinctions by asserting the sanctity of statements made within the assembly, pointing out that such declarations carry significant weight and can be used for interpreting statutes. He reminded Rohatgi of the responsibilities that come with such statements, warning of potential judicial actions if such conduct was repeated.
The issue also harkens back to a previous incident last year when the Supreme Court expressed its displeasure over Reddy’s comments regarding the court’s decision to grant bail to rival BRS leader K Kavitha in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
