Following dismissal of disqualification pleas against five BRS MLAs, Dr. K A Paul files petition in Telangana High Court citing Supreme Court contempt proceedings, seeking disqualification of 10 MLAs and Speaker’s resignation.

New Delhi | 18 December 2025

Dr. K A Paul, President of Praja Shanthi Party and noted global humanitarian, has filed a petition in the Telangana High Court challenging the Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar’s recent decision dismissing disqualification petitions in the BRS defection case. Dr. Paul also demanded the Speaker’s resignation for allegedly disregarding constitutional obligations.

The Speaker had on Wednesday dismissed disqualification pleas against five BRS MLAs—Arekapudi Gandhi, Tellam Venkata Rao, Banda Krishnamohan, T. Prakash Goud, and Gudem Mahipal Reddy—stating that there was no substantial evidence of party defection.

Dr. Paul criticised the order, stating that it undermines the anti-defection law under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution by treating defection as a technicality while overlooking legislators’ public political conduct.

He highlighted ongoing proceedings in the Supreme Court, noting that the Speaker’s ruling was issued while judicial review was still in progress. On 31 July 2025, a bench led by then Chief Justice of India B R Gavai had instructed the Speaker to decide disqualification petitions against 10 MLAs within three months. When the Speaker failed to comply, the Supreme Court issued a contempt notice on 17 November, calling the inaction “the grossest kind of contempt.”

Dr. Paul emphasised that any order ignoring the Supreme Court’s binding directions challenges constitutional validity and institutional accountability. He insisted that the Speaker is legally obligated to act strictly within the Supreme Court’s framework.

The petition also refers to other pending matters before the Speaker, including Danam Nagender, who contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Secunderabad on a Congress ticket, and Kadiyam Srihari, accused of campaigning for his daughter’s Congress candidature.

Dr. Paul’s petition requests the High Court to disqualify all 10 MLAs elected on the BRS ticket in the 2023 Assembly elections who allegedly joined Congress in 2024.

He further stated that he will continue to pursue legal remedies to ensure adherence to Supreme Court directives and uphold the constitutional principles enshrined in the Tenth Schedule.