Hyderabad: The suspense over the case of defection of ten BRS MLAs continues as the Speaker is yet to complete the hearing process for all the MLAs, even as the Supreme Court deadline for the Speaker’s office to take a decision within three months ended on Friday. The Speaker has now urged the Supreme Court to grant two more months’ time to finish the hearings.
The Speaker has been taking up the hearing of the BRS MLAs who are facing defection charges. While the hearing and cross-examination has been completed for four MLAs, the hearing of the other six MLAs was not yet taken up.
The Speaker’s office has not announced a schedule for the hearing of the remaining six MLAs so far. According to sources, the Speaker’s office may seek some more time from the Supreme Court to question the MLAs. Speaker’s office sources said that out of the ten MLAs facing charges, only eight of them have responded to the notices and the hearing of only four MLAs was completed.
It may be mentioned that ten BRS MLAs had joined the Congress party. The BRS leaders complained to the Speaker to disqualify the MLAs. With no response on their petition, they approached the High Court. When the High Court did not give a positive verdict to BRS, the party approached the Supreme Court. The court took up the inquiry and directed the Speaker’s office to take a decision within three months, and that time ended on Friday.
As per the orders of the Supreme Court, the Speaker issued notices to the ten MLAs who changed parties. Later, an inquiry was conducted with the MLAs. As part of this hearing, the MLAs and petitioners were cross-examined. The MLAs, along with their lawyers, appeared before the Speaker and argued that they were still in BRS and that there was no defection.
However, the petitioners, BRS leaders, submitted evidence, affidavits, and videos related to them. The Speaker questioned only four MLAs in this hearing. The hearing of the remaining six MLAs is not yet complete. The Speaker took up hearings in two phases, one before going on a foreign tour and later again from October 26. Sources said that the Speaker’s office would be seeking two more months’ time. This development has generated significant interest among political circles.
