Hyderabad: Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, on Wednesday, October 1, adjourned the disqualification hearings of 10 defected BRS MLAs to October 4.
Advocates representing petitioners Chinta Prabhakar, Palla Rajeshwari Reddy, and others cross-examined BRS MLAs T Prakash Goud and Kale Yadaiah on October 1.
However, the questioning lasted through the day, leaving no time to examine the other two MLAs, Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy and Gudem Mahipal Reddy.
The Assembly Speaker adjourned the hearing to October 4. He will announce dates for hearings related to four more MLAs once the first phase is completed.
The media has been barred from covering the hearing. The Speaker has also banned press briefings within the premises and barred visitors without prior permission.
Currently, 10 BRS MLAs face accusations of switching loyalties to Congress after the 2023 Assembly elections. The legislators include Danam Nagender (Khairatabad constituency), Tellam Venkat Rao (Bhadrachalam), Kadiyam Srihari (Station Ghanpur), Pocharam Srinivas Reddy (Banswada), M Sanjay Kumar (Jagtial), Arekapudi Gandhi (Serilingampally), T Prakash Goud (Rajendranagar), B Krishna Mohan Reddy (Gadwal), G Mahipal Reddy (Patancheru), and Kale Yadaiah (Chevella).
Out of these, eight MLAs have responded to the Speaker’s notice, while Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari are yet to respond.
The BRS had approached the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly to decide expeditiously the disqualification petitions. Following this, the top court on July 31 ordered the Speaker to decide on the disqualification within three months.
